Historical Development of Police Agencies
Historical Development of Police Agencies
CJA/204
August 8, 2011
Abstract
Historically, policing in America mimicked that of the English. American ideas expanded on the English way of policing, to start an era of ever evolving police agencies. In the beginning policing was considered the civic duty of members of a community. These “drafted” officers were not paid or trained. Appointed Sheriff’s were motivated by money, and lost focus on enforcing the law. Policing was considered reactive in nature. This began to change as did society, industrialism and urbanization, brought with it a rise in crime, causing police to shift towards a more proactive approach to law enforcement. In the 1800’s new technologies began another change with better response times and communications. The 20th century brought even more technologies which continue to aid law enforcement today. This era also brought to the attention of agencies that there was a lack of cooperation between police and communities and community policing with more of a service attitude began to emerge. In the 21st century we are faced with the challenges of terrorist and we call on the local state and federal agencies to work together to counter these threats.
Historical Development of Police Agencies
Today’s police agencies have evolved since the early 1600’s to become a highly organized group that strives for crime prevention, preservation of citizen’s rights and professionalism. The era’s that have shaped the police of today are historically based on early English police styles, in which the first organized policing agencies emerged in the early 1800’s, ( Justice and Security Strategies, Inc., December 2004). These early agencies faced many challenges and essentially paved the road with vigilantism, “kin police” with the mentality of “I am my brother’s keeper” (Miller, Wilbur R. 1977). The raw styles of early policing, in a sense have come full circle in that it began with community involvement
CJA/204
August 8, 2011
Abstract
Historically, policing in America mimicked that of the English. American ideas expanded on the English way of policing, to start an era of ever evolving police agencies. In the beginning policing was considered the civic duty of members of a community. These “drafted” officers were not paid or trained. Appointed Sheriff’s were motivated by money, and lost focus on enforcing the law. Policing was considered reactive in nature. This began to change as did society, industrialism and urbanization, brought with it a rise in crime, causing police to shift towards a more proactive approach to law enforcement. In the 1800’s new technologies began another change with better response times and communications. The 20th century brought even more technologies which continue to aid law enforcement today. This era also brought to the attention of agencies that there was a lack of cooperation between police and communities and community policing with more of a service attitude began to emerge. In the 21st century we are faced with the challenges of terrorist and we call on the local state and federal agencies to work together to counter these threats.
Historical Development of Police Agencies
Today’s police agencies have evolved since the early 1600’s to become a highly organized group that strives for crime prevention, preservation of citizen’s rights and professionalism. The era’s that have shaped the police of today are historically based on early English police styles, in which the first organized policing agencies emerged in the early 1800’s, ( Justice and Security Strategies, Inc., December 2004). These early agencies faced many challenges and essentially paved the road with vigilantism, “kin police” with the mentality of “I am my brother’s keeper” (Miller, Wilbur R. 1977). The raw styles of early policing, in a sense have come full circle in that it began with community involvement
References: Critchley, T.A. 1967. A History of Police in England and Wales. Montclair, NJ: Patterson Smith. Federal Bureau of Investigation. (July 2003). Birth of the FBI. Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/highlights-of-history/articles/birth on August 3, 2011 Homeland Security. (2011). Homeland Security and Law Enforcement. Retrieved from http://www.policeemployment.com/resources/articles/homeland-security-law on August 4, 2011 Office of Homeland security. (2002). State and Local Actions for Homeland Security. Retrieved from http://www.ncs.gov/library/policy_docs/State_and_Local_Actions_for_Homeland_Securi ty.pdf on August 5, 2011 Miller, Wilbur R. 1977. Cops and Bobbies: Police Authority in New York and London, 1830-1870. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Monkkonen, Eric H. 1981. Police in Urban America, 1860-1920. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Reith, Charles. 1956. A New Study of Police History. Edinburgh Richardson, James F. 1970. The New York Police: Colonial Times to 1901. New York: Oxford University Press. Schmalleger, F. (2009). Criminal Justice Today an Introductory Text for the 21st Century (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prestice Hall.