British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 583

CHAPTER XV.
the local population and immediate action was taken to improve its training. Steps were taken, early in the next year, to raise also a Palestine Gendarmerie of 550 men. The first Police Ordinance was enacted in 1921 (to be replaced in 1926 by the Ordinance now in force) *. In 1922 a British section of the Gendarmerie, consisting of 38 officers and 724 other ranks, was formed. It operated as an emergency reserve and a striking force in aid of The civil power. Thus, already the police bad the double function of acting against what may be termed private crime and guarding against w bat may be called political crime.

7. In 1925, in his report of the first five years of civil administration, Lord Samuel paid tribute to the part played by the formation of effective police and gendarmerie forces in the "rapid pacification of the country". In 1926, for reasons of economy, both sections of the Gendarmerie were abolished, a proportion of the personnel being transferred to the Police. A British section of the Police was created, consisting of 5 officers (additional to the then existing cadre) and about 200 other ranks. At the same time, the TransJordan Frontier Force, was established**; it was intended for the protection of the common frontier between Palestine and TransJordan, but later had more extensive duties in relation to the other frontiers of the latter country. The internal security forces (excluding the Imperial garrison), as thus reorganised in 1926, were not materially altered, either in form or strength, until after the 1\129 disturbances.

8. The Shaw Commission which enquired into the disturbances found that the policy of reducing the garrison in Palestine had been carried too far; that the conduct of the British police deserved the highest commendation; that the Palestinian Police were not to be relied upon in certain respects; and that the Trans-Jordan Frontier Force had behaved with exemplary loyalty. They recommended, inter alia, examination of the most suitable form of garrison for Palestine; an independent enquiry into ,the organization and future development of the Police Force; and the establishment of better means of keeping "in touch with every form of subversive activity''. It was decided that the garrison should consist of two battalions of infantry and certain Royal Air Force units. An examination of the Police Force and its requirements was carried out by Sir Herbert Dowbiggin, Inspector General of Police in Ceylon, who reported in 1930. In addition to various measures of administrative reform, he recommended:-
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* Drayton, Vol. 11, page 1145.

** The Trans-Jordan Frontier Force Ordinance, 1926; Drayton, Vol. II, page 1474, now replaced by a 1940 Ordinance of The same title; page 161 of 1940 legislation.