Chapter 4: Police History, Structure and Function Flashcards
Four Main Purposes of Police
- Uphold the law
- Pursue and bring to justice those who break the law
- Prevent crime
- Maintain the peace
The Mutual Pledge System - United Kingdom - 870 - 900 A.D.
- One of the first Western systems of law enforcement
- Organized system of self-responsibility
- Citizens pledged to protect their neighbors
- Every man was responsible for the conduct of every other man
Tithing
Towns and villages organized into family groups consisting of 10 families, referred to as a tithing
“The Hundred”
Group of 10 tithings
Constable
- For each “hundred” there was one constable
- Constable in charge of any weaponry or specialized equipment for his “hundred”
- Appointed by local noblemen
Sheriff
Derived from the word “shire reeve.”
The Watch and Ward
- Comprised of “officers” (unpaid volunteers)
- Guard town gates at night
- Anyone who wanted to get in would have to give identification and state their business.
- If any crime suspects were apprehended they were turned over to the local constable
Gin Craze
- Increase in crime
- Believed that mass manufacture and consumption of gin provoked a more organized effort toward establishing a formal, public policing agency
Henry Fielding
- In 1748 Magistrate Henry Fielding organized the watch and the ward system into a private agency
- His men patrolled the streets of London and highways on horseback to protect travelers
- His men were referred to as “The Bow Street Runners”
Sir Robert Peel
- 1829
- Introduced Metropolitan Police Act which was passed by Parliament
- Act called for an organized police force guided by military principles
3 Main Problems with Early Policing
- Low pay
- Disrespect
- Ineffectiveness
3 Causes of the Problems with Early Policing
- The military model is not suited for police work
- Police have the contradictory task of protecting and arresting their employers = the public
- Police forces were often used as sources of political patronage and control
3 Major Innovations in Early Policing
- Telephone
- Patrol car
- Two way radio
3 Levels of Policing
- Local
- State
- Federal
Numbers to be aware of
- At the local level (towns, cities, counties) there are approximately 18,000 police departments in the U.S. employing about 900,000 officers
- 50% of all police departments have 12 or fewer sworn police officers
- 75% of all police departments have 25 or fewer sworn police officers
Types of Local Law Enforcement Agencies
- Campus police
- City / county agencies
- Constables
- Coroners / medical examiners
- Housing authority police
- Marine patrol units
- Municipal police departments
- Sheriff’s departments
- Transit police
- Tribal police
Role within police agencies
- Role within police agencies, no matter what size fall into at least two categories
- Line operations = daily police work, other field services and field supervision
- Staff operations = includes support roles and administrative operations
Police Selection Process Steps
- Written exam
- Physical agility test
- Drug screen
- Oral interview
- Background check
- Polygraph
- Full medical examination
Characteristics for Good Police Work
- Attentiveness
- Reliability
- Responsiveness
- Competence
- Manners
- Fairness
- Integrity
State Police Agencies
- State law enforcement agencies follow two models: centralized and de-centralized
Things Centralized State Police Agencies Do
- Assist local / municipal law enforcement agencies
- Operate and maintain a centralized identification bureau
- Operate and maintain a centralized criminal records repository
- Patrol state highways
- Offer current in-service training opportunities
Types of State Policing Agencies
- Alcohol law enforcement agencies
- Fish and wildlife agencies
- Highway patrol
- Port authorities
- State Bureaus of Investigation
- State Park Services
- State police
- State university police
- Weigh station operations
Federal Agencies with Uniformed Divisions
FBI Secret Service Bureau of alcohol, tobacco and firearms Federal protective services Customs and Border Patrol National Security Agency U.S. Park Police Department of Defense U.S. Marshals Amtrack Police U.S. Mint Police U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Government Institutions with Uniformed Divisions
U.S. Capitol Police Federal Bureau of Prisons Police Smithsonian Police U.S. Supreme Court Police Bureau of Engraving and Printing Police U.S. Pentagon Police
What modern day drug would compare to gin as contributing to a rising crime rate as it did back in London in the 1700s?
Crack cocaine
Match the modern criminal justice/policing concept with it’s Peelian Principle
Crime Prevention - Principles 1 and 9
Due Process - Principle 8
Civilian Oversight - Principle 2
Community Policing - Principle 3, 5 and 7
Use of Force Continuum - Principles 4 and 6
What was the nickname given to the first police officers in London?
Bobbies, Peelers and New Police
What was the reason many of the first, original London police were dismissed within 10 years of their appointment?
Being drunk on duty
What is the name of the effect described when American policy is aimed overseas and then returns back to the United States?
Boomerang effect
