Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. George W. Gastlin was an American law enforcement officer and police captain with the New York City Police Department who founded the "Steamboat Squad" and served as its commander during the 1870s and 80s. He joined the NYPD on May 19, 1864, less than a year after the New York Draft Riots, and gradually rose up the ranks over the next few years being promoted to roundsman on February 15, 1868 and then sergeant on July 6, 1870. On June 9, 1876, Gastlin was appointed as head of the "Steamboat Squad", a special police unit formed to combat river pirates and street gangs active on the New York waterfront, and was finally made a captain on September 20, 1878.