During the 19th century, local council watch committees were authorised to set up police forces and, in 1849, the Wolverhampton Borough Police Force was established. The headquarters were based at Garrick Street and included a number of cells.

The records of the Wolverhampton Police are held at Wolverhampton Archives. The most useful records are the registers of convictions c. 1850 - 1918 that list prisoners, their conviction, and usually a physical description.

Convicted criminals could be sent to a House of Correction or County Gaol. A House of Correction was opened in Wolverhampton in 1745 but was closed in 1821.