In late 19th century Australia, Tasmania was the only colony with a decentralized policing system. Despite its uniqueness, few Australian scholars have analyzed how this policing system operated in practice or fully explained why centralization was introduced in 1899. After briefly examining the reasons why decentralization was introduced in 1858, this paper considers the numerous criticisms of the system. These included the failure of municipal police forces to enforce the laws impartially and uniformly, the lack of cooperation between forces; and, with each of the 21 forces being headed by a superintendent, the excessive cost of separate forces. A select committee of 1886 confirmed weaknesses in the system and thereafter successive ministries, seeking more efficient and rational government, campaigned for police centralization. Municipal opposition was only overcome when the Braddon government bribed the municipalities with substantial financial relief and persuaded them that municipal government would be strengthened by relinquishing the burden of controlling the police. 1 table, 17 notes, and 56 references