POLICING ERAS

The Colonial Era and the Republic Colonists drew from their experiences in England by adopting the English offices of constable, sheriff, and night watchman as the first positions with law enforcement In the South, slave patrols were used to prevent slave revolts and catch runaway slaves Beginning in the 1830s, American cities experienced a lot of riots

The Political Era: 1840-1920 [C] This period is called the political era because the police had close ties with politicians “For example, Walker (1999) notes that in New York City, "a $300 payment to the Tammany Hall political machine was the only requirement for appointment to the force" (p. 24). There was little or no training given to officers, no recruitment standards to speak of, and no job security because officers could be hired or fired at will. Corruption was a major characteristic of policing during this time period. Low-ranking officers, high-ranking police officials, and sometimes even entire departments were involved in corruption and misconduct. Patrol officers often accepted bribes to not enforce laws controlling moral crimes (e.g., drinking, gambling, and prostitution). This type of corruption was well known and pervasive.” <a href="http://law.jrank.org/pages/1642/Police-History-Policing-nineteenth-century-America-political-era.html">Police: History - Policing Nineteenth-century America—the Political Era</a>

The Political Era: 1840-1920 [C] The police was corrupted: They didn’t work to rank higher in the police force, the highest bidder got the position. The police was also paid to allow drinking, gambling, and prostitution

The Political Era: 1840-1920 [C] Early police forces sought to prevent crimes and keep order through the use of foot patrols Police also performed various social services, such as providing beds and food for the homeless.

The Professional Model Era: 1920-1970 [C] “The police have to get out of politics, and politics has to get out of the police.” August Vollmer, the chief of police of Berkeley, CA, initiated the use of motorcycle units, handwriting analysis, and fingerprinting. The model of professional policing has six elements: 1. The force should stay out of politics 2. Members should be well trained, well disciplined, and well organized 3. Laws should be enforced equally 4.The force should use new technology 5. Personnel procedures should be based on merit 6.The main task of the police should be fighting crime

The Community Policing Era:1970-Present [C] Beginning in the 1970s, calls were heard for a move away from the crime-fighting focus and toward greater emphasis on keeping order and providing services to the community The new era is based on research: Increasing the number of patrol officers had little effect on the crime rate Rapid response does not guarantee arrest Improving the percentage of crimes solved is difficult