Nine twentieth-century Boston police logbooks and related ephemera created by Albert E. Ellis, a police officer with the Boston Police Department. While on patrol, Ellis noted in the logbooks the intersection at which he was posted (most often Boylston Street and Exeter Street), six-digit reference numbers (presumably license plates numbers of cars he observed), and name of the officer who relieved him. He recorded detailed field notes when there were incidents in his vicinity, such as car accidents, civilian complaints, fights, open manholes, pocketbook theft, and more. Ellis also recorded his days off work, sick and vacation days, and breaks during his workday.

The ephemera includes three complete arrest cards, photographic negatives, a Registrar of Motor Vehicles form recording a driving infraction, an official report addressed to Captain Perley S. Skillings of Division 16, and a postcard sent to Ellis from a friend named "Strip".