Paramilitary Policing and It's History

Paramilitary Policing and its History Rashad Cudjoe Research Paper 1 Police Paramilitary Units (PPUs) were first created in the 1960s because of problems in urban areas. These 10-40 units were supposed to be used for handling civil disturbances, dangerous suspects, and snipers. The roles of these units have changed drastically in the last 10 years. Paramilitary police teams seem to allow some officers to live out a fantasy of policing being dangerous and exciting. Many officers commented on how handling military weapons gave them a rush of pleasure. Civilizations as early the Egyptians may have had a paramilitary force to protect its rulers and high society residents. The term paramilitary refers to a force whose function and organization are similar to the military. The Romans also had their own specialized force to protect them also. During the 18thcentury there was a time of social unrest and economic changes in England. The constables and the “watch system” could not do the jobs needed to combat that these changes. This led to the formation of the formal police force and eventually to the London Metropolitan Police, the first modern force that became a model for the police forces in other countries, including the United States. Policing in the United States begins with British policing. The Boston Police Department, considered the first modern U.S. police force, was founded in 1839 and the New York City Police Department was founded in 1845. Early Police departments did their jobs but they were not very professional. Police work was catered more to social work. There was barely and discipline and police aimed to regulate problems rather than to prevent crime. The early forces cared about the community and were connected strongly with them. Crimes were often solved just by conversing with the public. The connection between this style of policing and the military is how it plays off of each other. The structure of U.S. ranks is based off of the

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