Police in the United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the history of policing in the United States of America began with an ad-hoc program of citizen vigilante groups, which were formed immediately upon the founding of the early settlements. The paper then relates that the modern community police force was first organized in the city of Boston Massachusetts in 1631 as the "Night Watch", which evolved into the Boston Police Department in 1838. In addition, the paper relates that the state of Pennsylvania became the first to establish a state police agency in 1904. The paper continues the history of the U.S. police to the present times and includes a discussion about community policing and the use of information-based systems for tracking and mapping crime patterns.

From the Paper:

"Before the advent of men like August Vollmer and O.W. Wilson into the police establishment, the image and esteem of the policemen in most cities, was at an all time low. Police formations were notorious for corruption and complicity with known criminals, particularly organized crime bosses in large cities like Chicago and New York. A lot of improvements in both men and materials have gone a long way to make modern American police establishment very respectable places to work. Highly trained and motivated policemen and women, command some of the best salaries and conditions of service among employees of labor."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Chicago Chooses Criminologist to Head and Clean Up the Police", United Press International/The New York Times (February 22, 1960)
• Deflem, Mathieu. 2004. "The Ends of the State: Anarchy, Terror, and Police, 1851 to 9- 11." Comparative & Historical Sociology, ASA Section newsletter, 16(1):3-5.
• "Finest of the Finest", TIME Magazine (February 18, 1966)
• Kelling, George L., Mary A. Wycoff (December 2002). Evolving Strategy of Policing: Case Studies of Strategic Change. National Institute of Justice. NCJ
• Kelling, George L., Tony Pate, Duane Dieckman, Charles E. Brown (1974). "The Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment - A Summary Report" (PDF). Police Foundation.

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