City Guards

Categories / City Administration/Police, Prisons
CITY GUARDS, the name of the lowest ranks of police holding duty in the streets; the name was used from the first quarter of the 19th century along with the name of booth-guards. After the division of St. Petersburg into sections (1866) police security force was set up which consisted of City Guards and Sectional Guards (previously referred to as Elder City Guards) numbering a total of 2374 people. City Guards were hired from volunteers among retired military men and citizens of all social classes who were able to carry police service. For the purpose of training of the newly accepted guards a special school for 150 people was formed, under the supervision of 1 staff officer and 15 chief officers. City Guards were on duty in 705 posts into which sections were divided. At each post there were 3 City Guards on duty (in 3 shifts 8 hours each for 24 hours). The location of the posts was such that city guards could hear and see each other; they looked after the order in the streets and the traffic. In the second half of the 19th century City Guards made up to 20 rubles a month. City Guards had uniform similar to that of the army, a metal plate with a number of the section and a whistle for summoning the police team. The service of City Guards was liquidated in February 1917. In 1998 a sculpture of a city guard was installed in Malaya Konyushennaya Street (sculptor A. S. Charkin).

Reference: Высоцкий И. П. Санкт-Петербургская столичная полиция и градоначальство, 1703-1903: Крат. ист. очерк. СПб., 1903. С. 177-178.

Y. N. Kruzhnov. Malaya Konyushennaya St./Saint Petersburg, city
Высоцкий И. П. Санкт-Петербургская столичная полиция и градоначальство, 1703-1903: Крат. ист. очерк. СПб., 1903 Booth-guards