This is a most unusual book. It is not often that a police force, burdened with dealing constantly with the worst aspects of human nature, has time to retrospect on its history and heritage. It is an achievement to have created a well-produced book with stunning photographs and readable archival material going back two centuries to when the British entered Delhi in 1803. Historical references have been located to identify kotwals of Delhi going back to the 13th century, among whom was Ganga Dhar Nehru, Jawaharlal’s grandfather who was appointed in the "first half of the 19th century". The relative unimportance of Delhi in the civil set-up can be seen from its attachment to the North West Provinces for its administration, while being under the district headquarters at Agra. Interestingly, the first divisional commissioner and chief of police was the tireless William Fraser. The book omits his more sensational details such as his preference for the angarkha and his attachment to his four Indian bibis.