DUBLIN METROPOLITAN POLICE (1836-1925)

The Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) was the unarmed police force of the city of Dublin, Ireland from 1836 until its amalgamation with the Garda Siochana in 1925. The DMP replaced its predecessor police forces such as the Dublin Police formed in 1786 and underwent a major reformation in 1808. The DMP was established under the Dublin Police Act, 1836 as an unarmed, uniformed force of one thousand day and night constables with a training depot at Kevin Street police station along the lines of the London Metropolitan Police, formed in 1829 and the DMP administrative headquarters was at Dublin Castle.

The jurisdiction of the DMP in 1836 was known as the Dublin Metropolitan Area (DMA) inside the North and South Circular Roads and initially divided into four police divisions dividing the city into four quadrants, divisions ‘A’ & ‘C’ south of the River Liffey and ‘B’ & ‘D’ to the north. In 1840 the two further divisions of ‘E’ & ‘F’ were added in south County Dublin. On 17 March 1843 the ‘Detective Division or ‘G’ Division was added, which coined the phrase ‘G Men’ or ‘Government Men’. As a consequence of Anglo-Irish Treaty signed in December 1921 and the creation of the Irish Free State, the DMP became known as ‘Poilini Atha Cliath’ (Police of Dublin) from 1922 to 1925, after which the force ceased to exist as a separate entity, and was absorbed into the Garda Siochana in April 1925 as the Dublin Metropolitan Division (DMD) of the Garda Siochana. As a result of the amalgamation, members of Garda Siochana who served in Dublin after 1925 were referred to as ‘Dublin Metropolitan Guards’ (DMG).

Between 1836 and 1925 a total of 21 members of the DMP were killed on duty, 3 of which were killed during the Easter Rising, 1916 and 10 during the War of Independence, 1919-1921.