Week 5: Police in Society History and Organization

1. Week 5: Police in Society � History and Organization Identify what the idea of �police� involves Distinguish between �police� and �law enforcement� (as useful terms) Trace the evolution of the modern police organization (in the U.S.)

2. 1) What does �police� refer to? Police derives from from the Latin politia which means roughly �civil administration� or �maintenance of civil order� It refers to internal actions directed to the maintenance of civil order and law within a community Distinguish police from the military which deals with external actions toward outside communities.

3. What does �police� refer to? (cont.) Generally police refers to the legitimate use of force or authority to maintain order on behalf of the entire community Use of military forces to carry out policing implies an outside power forcefully controlling an occupied population = martial law Use of privately funded and controlled force to maintain order = mercenary policing Use of unauthorized force by citizens to maintain order = vigilante policing

4. 2) What is the difference between �police� and �law enforcement? �Policing� = maintenance of order in the community or society = very general function Includes both proactive (preventive) and reactive (corrective) efforts Includes both facilitation and coercion �Law enforcement� refers to coercive efforts to respond to apprehend and punish offenders It is essentially reactive and corrective It is one part (coercive and reactive) of policing Compare with medicine?

5. 3) The History of Policing (in U.S.) Police in the U.S. is mostly adapted from English police systems and practices Occasional borrowing from European practices � e.g., French & Spanish systems It follows certain universal patterns in the evolution of modern policing (found in lots of other countries) But also shows distinctly English & American patterns reflecting the unique political history of Great Britain and the American colonies

6. The History of Policing: (cont.) The universal pattern = 3 stages or forms of policing Self-policing: informal policing by citizens Transitional policing: semi-organized by semi-specialists or mercenaries Modern policing: centralized control of specialized, professionalized police officers acting under authority of community or �the state�

7. Self-Policing: informal policing by members of the community behaving as citizens Operation of policing in groups = Informal, voluntary, occasional, reactive, general May be organized by families or clans -> German/Saxon wergild system May be organized by communities -> English Mutual pledge system: tithings (tithingman) ? hundreds (constable) Group must respond to �hue and cry� Operates through group action by community Early versions of community watch system

8. Transitional Policing: Semi-organized arrangements of citizens and private groups ? move beyond simple voluntary enforcement Somewhat more formalized, organized, and specialized Frankpledge system � royal appropriation of & control over the pledge system Hundreds further organized into Shires (counties) Hundreds = financially accountable for apprehending offenders Shire led by appointed Shire-reeve (�Sheriff� selected by King) Watch-and-Ward systems � in middle English cities Mercenary systems � police paid for special purposes Praetorian guard � retained to protect the Emperor Gendarmes � paid by fees to catch wrong-doers Thief Takers � paid by reward for recovering stolen goods Bow Street Runners � private security/detective agency The �regulators� and early Texas Rangers in U.S. old West Paid replacements for pledge and watch members

9. Modern Policing: Formally organized, paid policing by full-time specialists in officially authorized agencies Require stronger centralized governments Authority to make and enforcement laws Legitimate monopoly on exercise of force Specialized agencies carry out specific functions Formed in the large cities in response to disorder, riots, and lawlessness Also formed in support of inequality to maintain and defend such systems

10. First Modern Police Force = the London Metropolitan Police Organized by Sir Robert Peel & authorized by Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 Adoption was controversial and contested, but became model for later police forces Organized on a new model Paramilitary organization: disciplined, professional Proactive focus on �policing� � i.e., prevention of crime through order maintenance & service Deemphasis on force and coercion � i.e., unarmed; achieve compliance through respect Quality and discipline within police were enforced

11. What was distinctive about English Policing? It evolved reluctantly in response to disorder, riots, violent conflict, and lawlessness Opposition to strong centralized police authority Reflecting the long history of conflict and power struggle between local communities and the crown Resistance to investing strong coercive power in the central government Note the basic and ongoing tension between: Desire to control disorder and protect public safety (which needs central organization & authority) Desire to protect and maintain local freedoms (which opposes central organization & coercive authority)

12. Policing in the American colonies: Generally adopted the English Pledge system but with some modifications Even greater emphasis on local autonomy Reduce accountability to central authority Make police officials locally accountable � e.g., Sheriff appointed by colony governor, not King Rural areas use Sheriff + citizens (common law principal of posse comitatus) Cities use very basic night-watch systems Unique American development = Slave Patrols in the southern colonies (late 1700s) Full-time, organized, professional police forces

13. Policing in the American colonies: Overall the American colonies were not policed very effectively because Resistance to strong central control ? highly localized and dependent on local politics Resistance to professional policing ? reliance on volunteers Highly fragmented and weak One Unique American development = Slave Patrols in southern colonies (1700s) Organized, semi-professional police forces Enforce slave laws and quell slave riots

14. Policing in the U.S. (post-colonial): Extremely decentralized and localized U.S. = confederation of states Police force authorized at county and city levels No state police or federal police County = Sheriff + weak pledge system Sheriff with very broad duties Sheriff = locally elected Very reactive and reliant posse comitatus Cities = Constable with day & night watches Slave Patrols � continue in southern states

15. Policing in the U.S.: Historical Eras Colonial Era (pre-1780) Post-Colonial (Infancy) Era (1780-1840) Expansion (Spoils) Era (1840-1900) Progressive Era (1900-1930) Modern Era (1930-1960) Reform Era (1960-1980) Contemporary Era (1980-present)

16. Policing in U.S.: Colonial Era (pre-1780) Localized, fragmented, variable, and minimal forms of police systems Great emphasis on local autonomy and accountability Opposition to strong central governments Forms of Policing: Weak Sheriff-Pledge system (rural areas) Weak Constable-Watch system (cities) Slave Patrol (southern states)

17. Police in U.S.: Post-Colonial Era (1780-1840) Infancy of new nation (establishing basic structures) � some growing pains Maintain localized control over police No state or national police (ex. U.S. Marshals) Resist adopting stronger police organization Continue (with modifications) early English-American policing forms Weak Sheriff-Pledge system (rural areas) Weak Constable-Watch system (cities) Slave Patrol (southern states)

18. Policing in the U.S.: Expansion Era (1840-1900) Growth of U.S. as national power ? large economic, geographic, and social changes Emergence of powerful political machines to control local and state politics Creation of modern city police departments Policing seen s locally controlled, corrupt, brutal, unprofessional, and ineffective Expansion of federal government & police Large private police agencies: Pinkerton, Brinks, Wells-Fargo, Railroad, etc.

19. Police in the U.S.: Progressive Era (1900-1930) Development of ideology of �Progressivism� Police professionalism movement Removal of politics & patronage Use of science and technology to improve efficiency: cars, fingerprints, labs, statistics Emphasis on education, training, & selection Unionism IACP ? national crime statistics (UCR) August Vollmer (Berkeley; Wickersham Comm) Stronger federal government & police Creation of first State Police agencies

20. Policing in the U.S.: Modern Era (1930-1960) After the Depression ended, relative social stability and economic growth Police Professionalism extended and institutionalized (maintaining the status quo) View of Police as professional, apolitical, crime-fighting protectors of public order and safety O.W. Wilson: textbook on police administration Expansion of federal police (FBI) due to threat of communism and organized crime

21. Policing in the U.S.: Reform Era (1960-1980) Period of dramatic social conflicts, crises, and changes (civil rights; Viet Nam, rise in crime) National changes in legal landscape View of police as nonpartisan, professional defenders of law and freedom = challenged Initiation of critical research to test the received wisdom about policing National Commission on Law Enforcement Commissions on corruption and misconduct Experimentation and variation in policing

22. Policing in the U.S.: Current Era (1980-present) New technologies Change tasks of daily police work Expose errors and misbehavior New organizational theories Community-Oriented Policing Impact of globalization and terrorism Homeland Security Increased federal influence through funding and training ? standardization & control Privatization � greater use of �rent-a-cops�

23. Policing in the U.S.: Current Era (1980-present) Local � Municipal and township police departments County � Sheriff�s offices and sheriff�s police department(+ county constable offices in Texas) States � 49 primary State law enforcement agencies Special jurisdiction agencies � schools, airports, etc. Federal � 65 agencies with police powers Private � about 2 million persons serving as private police & security officers

24. Local Police: 12,433 local police agencies in the U.S. 10,788 = municipal (city) departments 1,612 = township or town departments 33 = regional (combined) departments Most are very small: Over half have fewer than 10 full-time officers One-third have less than 5 full-time officers One-eight (1,720) have 1 or less full-time officer Few are very large Under 5% (83 depts) have 100 or more full-time officers (the size you see on TV programs)

25. County Police Agencies: 3,111 County Police Agencies (in 2000) 3010 County Sheriff�s Offices 52 County Sheriff�s Police departments 49 Consolidated (�unigov�) City-County Agencies Note the continued importance of the Sheriff in the 21st century Major county-level police agency in most states Elective office in all but two states Constitutional office in most states Has broad, diverse responsibilities and powers

26. State Police Agencies: Found in all but one state (Hawaii has a �State Sheriff�s office�) Found in two formats: State Police: Full and broad police powers to investigate crimes & to enforce law anywhere (in 23 states) Highway Patrol: focus only on highway traffic safety, traffic law enforcement, accident investigation Usually special focus state agencies to handle other enforcement or investigation activities

27. Special Jurisdiction Agencies 1,376 police agencies with special limited jurisdictions About 65% of these involve educational institutions (e.g., college campuses, public high schools) Also transportation facilities (e.g., airports, transit systems, railroad, shipping ports) Also public parks, natural resources, conservation departments, fish & game

28. Federal Police Agencies: Federal law enforcement ? mostly a 20th century development (exc. U.S. Marshals) Located in various agencies where special enforcement or investigation need occurs Some consolidation of agencies in: Treasury Dept. FBI: under J. Edgar Hoover Homeland Security (in 2001) Dept. of Homeland Security = biggest change

29. Federal Police (cont.): Dept. of Homeland Security (42,870) Dept. of Justice (37,460) U.S. Courts (Judicial Branch) (4,126) Office of Inspector General (2,867) U.S. Postal Service(2,978) Internal Revenue Service (2,777) VHA (2,423) Dept. of Interior (Park Service; BIA; Forest Service) (2278) Capitol Police (1,535) Dept. of Treasury (722)

30. Federal Police (cont.): Dept. of Justice FBI (15,214) DEA (4,400) US Marshals Service (3,233) ATFE (formerly in Treasury) (2373) Dept. of Homeland Security US Customs and Border Protection (27,705) US Immigration and Customs (10,399) Secret Service (4,769)

31. Private Police & Security: Est. 2 million private security officers in US 3-4 times as many as in public police agencies A growing sector of policing What do these involve? What are their Powers and Authority? The Advantages and Disadvantages? Standards, qualifications, and Licensing

32. Private Police & Security: What do these involve? Proprietary security � employed by company itself Contract Security � employed by security firm which contract with employer company Brinks; Burns; Wackenhut; Pinkerton; Wells-Fargo Private Police (with limited authority petitioned from government) Private colleges & schools Private companies with national security interest Closed communities

33. Private Police/Security (cont): What are their Powers and Authority? Generically same as any citizen Some may be derived from employer May be enhanced in some states (with licensing) Enhanced when public police officers are hired as 2nd job (bring police powers with them)

34. Private Police/Security (cont): Advantages of private police? Declining revenues for public policing �Private� nature of crimes in workplace Better control and attention to specific problems Few constitutional limitations Concerns about private policing? Qualifications, standards, and training Legal ambiguities Questions about public cops in private uses Diminished public responsibility and oversight