Our History

The beginning

In 1850 a handful of British officers and some locals were appointed as constables. This was also the time that the city saw its population grow in leaps and bounds.  In 1854 the city's population including men, woman and children totalled 1204 people.  These numbers entitled the Lieutenant Governor to declare the city a Borough.

Twelve days after these findings the city of Durban was born under Municipal Ordnance no 1 of 1854.  The same ordnance entitled the city to establish the Borough Police Board.  Hence the birth of a local Police department.

On 2 September 1857 a council meeting endorsed the enrolment of five police officers to enable night patrols.  In 1861 the control of the police department was removed from the board by the town council under the Municipal Amendment Law no. 21 of 1861.  

The City's Police Department steadily grew as time went along allowing for the opening of the main police station in West Street during April of 1900 at a cost of 19 000 pounds.  Three years later saw the opening of the Point Police Station to accommodate the arrival of all international sailors to the port city.  1904 saw the opening of the Musgrave Police station. 

On January 14 1929, the Chief constable received a letter from the South African Police, indicating a withdrawal of national police from all non-government facilities.  This left the Durban police with the responsibility of patrolling all areas including the Durban harbour.  Later a second letter was received by the borough police stating that the South African Police was withdrawing all support from the Durban jurisdiction.  After much controversy and debate the control of the Durban Borough Police was to be handed to the Minister of Justice. The battle continued till 1932 when legislation made it possible for the Durban Borough police to become an independent entity once again.

The second world war saw about twenty thousand ships visiting the harbour and the Durban Borough police lost half of their staff compliment when constables volunteered as soldiers going off to war. Despite all these tensions the city still received a commendation from the Prime Minister's office for their treatment of his visits in 1940 and again in 1944.  The end of the war saw the introduction of motorised patrols, which included the motorcycle. 

On 29 April 1980 a historical minute was passed promoting equality by renaming of a schedule of grades that classed white people separate from other race groups. On 2nd March 1981 seven Indian constables successfully applied for constable positions.  Five years later saw the first promotions of these officers. 

By February 1987 the City Police had a 36% staff compliment  of non whites.  1994 gave South Africa its first black president and since then the promotion of equality in the DMPS workplace has been growing apace.