When Penang, Malacca and Singapore were united to form the Presidency of the Straits Settlements in 1826, the police forces in all three stations were small and inadequate. Until 1857 none of the Straits Settlements had a full-time Commissioner of Police, and the Resident Councillors presided over police work, in addition to their duties as head of the executive government and judge in the Recorder's court in their respective settlements.