本来、臨時の役職で幕府常備軍である御先手組頭、持組頭などから選ばれた。

Originally, with this post being a temporary one, the officers in this post were selected from Osakitegumigashira and Mochigumigashira, both of which belonged to the standing army of the bakufu. - Wikipedia日英京都関連文書対訳コーパス

火付盗賊改方の長官は、御先手組の頭が加役として兼務した。

The chief of hitsuke-tozoku-aratame-kata (literally, "investigative division for arson and organized robbery) was served by the leader of the sakite-gumi additionally as a temporary extra work. - Wikipedia日英京都関連文書対訳コーパス

同じく江戸城下の治安を預かる町奉行が役方（文官）であり、その部下である町与力や町同心とは対照的に、御先手組は番方であり、その部下である組与力・組同心の取り締まり方は極めて荒っぽく、江戸の民衆から恐れられたという。

While Machi-yoriki and Machi-doshin were the subordinate of machi-bugyo (town magistrate) who were civil officers to maintain the public security of the Edo castle town, Kumi-yoriki and Kumi-doshin were under the control of the sakite-gumi, which was bankata (military officers), and regulated the Edo castle town so roughly that they were said to be feared by the Edo people. - Wikipedia日英京都関連文書対訳コーパス