Reference no: EM133702667 , Length: word count:400

We are living in tumultuous times these days, especially for those in the law enforcement profession. The English influence of Sir Robert Peele is the prominent history of policing in America. However, given the recent event, others have asserted that American policing developed roots in "slave patrols."

Based on the readings and other sources you locate, avoiding any political rhetoric, compare and contrast the history of policing. Which was most influential in the development of policing today - the English influence or the Southern influence? Why? Where do you see this influence as part of policing in the US? Please discuss.

REQUIRED: Post a substantive initial response to the discussion question. Your posts must be based on factual academic information (not personal opinion) supported with citations to at least two (2) academic reference located through the UMGC Library or professional references, in addition to the course materials, to demonstrate you have read and understood the lecture and the assigned readings and also that you have read all prior postings by the instructor and other students. Please use the correct APA format in citing any source material you use. Refer to the APA Manual link posted in the Discussion area.

Ashly

Good morning,

Policing has evolved to fit the needs of society and technological advances. Sir Robert Peel, the father of American policing, started the first police department, Metropolitan Police department, on September 29, 1829. He believed that the primary focus should be crime prevention, therefore "officers would have to work in a coordinated and centralized manner, provide coverage across large areas and be available to the public, day and night" (The History of Police). It was during this time that he decided that officers "should be under government control, have a military-like organizational structure, and have a central headquarters" (The History of Police). However once the police reform occurred, they made changes that we still see today within our law enforcement agencies. For example, politics no longer carry heavy weight on who is or who isn't an officer. There was an implementation of new police training, and police force " was strategically placed according to the needs of the neighborhood" (The History of Police).

The most influential in the development of policing today is the English influence. The English influence consisted of "common law and its system of social obligations, sheriffs, constables, watchmen and stipendiary justice" (Whetstone, Walsh & Welling, 2000). Today, we have federal, state and county law enforcement agencies that must follow a chain of command, and adhere to the laws and rights of citizens. We see this as agencies determine who is within certain jurisdictions, how criminals are tried and how they must be found guilty to the fullest extent of the law. However, we do see some of the Southern policing influence within our system today. For example during the 1950 and 1960's, officers were responding to African Americans with a stronger emphasis on crime control. This led to excessive use of force, and therefore tainted the relationship with the public (The History of Police).

Kierra

American policing has been heavily influenced by the English system throughout the course of history. In the early stages of development in both England and Colonial America, citizens were responsible for law enforcement in their communities. Citizens that were part of watch groups provided social services, including lighting street lamps, running soup kitchens, recovering lost children, capturing runaway animals, and a variety of other services; their involvement in crime control activities at this time was minimal at best. Policing in England and Colonial America was largely ineffective, as it was based on a volunteer system and their method of patrol was both disorganized and sporadic. Sometime later, the responsibility of enforcing laws shifted from individual citizen volunteers to groups of men living within the community; this was referred to as the frankpledge system in England. The frankpledge system was a semistructured system in which groups of men were responsible for enforcing the law. Men living within a community would form groups of 10 called tythings (or tithings); 10 tythings were then grouped into hundreds, and then hundreds were grouped into shires (The history of the police).

A similar system existed in America during this time in which constables, sheriffs, and citizen-based watch groups were responsible for policing in the colonies. Sheriffs were responsible for catching criminals, working with the courts, and collecting taxes; law enforcement was not a top priority for sheriffs, as they could make more money by collecting taxes within the community.10 Night watch groups in Colonial America, as well as day watch groups that were added at a later time, were largely ineffective; instead of controlling crime in their community, some members of the watch groups would sleep and/or socialize while they were on duty.11 These citizen-based watch groups were not equipped to deal with the increasing social unrest and rioting that were beginning to occur in both England and Colonial America in the late 1700s through the early 1800s.12 It was at this point in time that publicly funded police departments began to emerge across both England and Colonial America (The history of the police).

In the world and we live in today it is important to have this influence in the policing because you need to have guidelines and policies that are set in place for things to run in a specific order. Policing is a major aspect and you truly do need them in within and around the world and community. Just imagine not having a policing force around and see what the difference would be. Structure and discipline should be displayed throughout every community. Taking action towards any problems are the true number one actions for everything.

In pursuing moral behaviour within policing, recruitment and training are utilized respectively in an attempt to ferret out immoral applicants who are dishonourable and do not exhibit integrity. This is done through extensive background checks during recruitment and later, and moral principles are reinforced through scenario training. Police officers are trained and educated as recruits so that they will be able to cope with the peculiarities of being a police officer in an ethical fashion (McCartney, S. 2015).