Father of the Boston Police: Francis Tukey and the Invention of Modern Crimefighting, 1846-1852

The Boston Police Department was formed by a man who had twice failed in business, ran a bar in the poorest district of Boston, and was charged with two assaults. When Francis Tukey became City Marshal in 1846, he faced off against some of the most notorious criminals of the time. Under Tukey's leadership, the police were known for their coordinated "descents" on gamblers, rumrunners and prostitutes.

This book aims to recount the story of the formation of the Boston Police Department, featuring many of the department's earliest cases and crises. Significant tales include the conflict following the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, when Tukey and his officers avoided enforcing the law, even helping enslaved people further escape. Also covered are the department's dealings with Irish refugees and the Cholera epidemic of 1849.

Timothy B. Riordan is an historical archaeologist and historian who, for 30 years, was the Chief Archaeologist at St. Mary's City, an outdoor museum of archaeology and history in Maryland. He has written numerous professional articles and monographs. His other books include a history of Maryland in the English Civil War, 1642-1650 and a biography of Francis Tumblety, 19th-century quack doctor and one time Jack the Ripper suspect.