Basler Polizei

The development of the police - a piece of Basel's history. After the French Revolution, the cantons reorganized themselves, particularly restructuring and strengthening their security measures. Starting in 1803, cantonal police forces were established in all cantons under unified leadership to combat vagrants, swindlers, and beggar gangs. Basel was the last canton to introduce a new police organization in 1816. A police director with extensive powers was appointed to lead the cantonal police. By 1832, two police posts with 14 rural officers were established in the city, and 19 posts with 27 rural officers were set up in the rural districts. The separation of the cantons in 1833 was a traumatic experience for the Basel police; the rural officers had to flee to the city, and both the police director and the police chief became ill from the hostility and died.