In 1890 men mainly from the Bechuanaland Border Police and Bechuanaland Mounted Police were recruited into the British South Africa Company Police to escort the pioneer Column into what became Rhodesia.

Once there they transitioned into the Mashonaland Mounted Police and a bit later the Matabeleland Mounted Police was also formed. In 1896 These two forces were combined to form the British South Africa Police but operated administratively as two separate entities being the Mashonaland and Matabeleland Divisions.

In 1903 these two divisions were amalgamated administratively under one Commissioner.