field police

English

Noun

field police (uncountable)

1. (Tasmania, now historical) A police force charged with maintaining order beyond towns and other settlements, in the countryside or bush. [from 19th c.]
   • 1871, Marcus Clarke, Old Tales of a Toung Country:

     He was some years under my orders when I was police-magistrate of the Oatlands district, during which period he acted successively as my assistant-clerk, constable of the field-police, leader of several roving bands in quest of the aborigines, and one of the directors of the Oatland volunteers.

   • 2017, Nick Brodie, The Vandemonian War, Hardie Grant Books, page 14:

     Arthur had established a field police in 1825, with an initial complement of 300 men.