NCJ Number
27267
Date Published
Unknown
Length
62 pages
Annotation
HIGH CRIME RATES HAVE LED TO PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION WITH EXISTING POLICE ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, PROMPTING A CALL FOR COORDINATION AND CENTRALIZATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN AMERICA.
Abstract
TO EXPLAIN THE PRESENT FRAGMENTATION, PROLIFERATION, AND MULTILAYERING OF POLICE JURISDICTIONS IN THE U.S., POLICE DEVELOPMENT IS REVIEWED HISTORICALLY. THE GRADUALLY EMERGING SOCIAL NEED FOR POLICE ACTIVITIES ENSURING PEACE AND SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY IS TRACED FROM PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES TO ANCIENT ROME, WHERE THE FIRST POLICE FORCE WAS DEDICATED TO THE ENFORCEMENT OF PUBLIC ORDER AND THE PREVAILING LAW. ENGLISH TRADITIONS OF COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE DETAILED BECUASE OF THEIR INFLUENCE POLICE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE U.S. THE LACK OF UNIFORMITY IN THE POLICE SYSTEM IN AMERICA REFLECTS THE HISTORICAL SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS DIVERSE IMMIGRANTS WHO ADAPTED THEIR HERITAGE AND IDEOLOGIES TO LOCAL CONDITIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN VIRGINIA THE SHERIFF FORM OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, BASED ON THE ENGLISH 'SHIRE REEVE,' TO THE COUNTRY FORM OF GOVERNMENT, WHILE POLICE CONSTABLES AND THE NIGHT WATCH (ALSO FROM AN ENGLISH PROTOTYPE) WERE ADOPTED IN NEW ENGLAND TOWNS. GROWTH OF URBAN INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITIES NECESSITATED THE ADDITION OF THE DAY WATCH. EVENTUALLY, BOTH WERE COMBINED TO FORM ACTUAL POLICE FORCES; THE FIRST WAS ESTABLISHED IN NEW YORK IN 1844. UNIFORM POLICE ENFORCEMENT ON A STATEWIDE BASIS BEGAN IN 1905 WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE CONSTABULARY. IN ADDITION TO THE MUNICIPAL AND STATE POLICE AGENCIES, VARIOUS FEDERAL POLICE AGENCIES EVOLVED TO DEAL WITH INTERSTATE ACTIVITIES AND VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL LAWS. THUS, THE MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE AMERICAN POLICE SYSTEM IS THE LACK OF UNIFORMITY FROM LOCALITY TO LOCALITY AND THE MULTIPLICITY OF JURISDICTIONAL LEVELS. LACK OF COOPERATION AND EVEN DIRECT COMPETITION BETWEEN THESE AGENCIES MUST BE ELIMINATED. CENTRALIZED POLICE ADMINISTRATION, HOWEVER, IS CONTRARY TO AMERICAN TRADITION OF LOCAL CONTROL OVER POLICE AGENCIES. NOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)