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Police History
Nichole Perry
CJA/214
August 24, 2014
Kevin Marshall

Police History The history of the American police is fascinating because it gives insight to understanding policing today. American policing has changed drastically over the years and within the last decade of the twentieth century; the most creative period of policing has taken place (Walker & Katz, 2011). Sir Robert Peel and his principles of policing helped organize and establish clear chains of command and rules of conduct (Grant & Terry, 2012). These principles encouraged accountability and professionalism amongst officers (Grant & Terry, 2012). The U.S. government and the policing organizations throughout the United States have a working relationship but this relationship may affect police practices. The first police officer to go on patrol was a civilian that had received no training, patrolled on foot, had no radio to communicate with a dispatch, and did not carry a weapon (Walker & Katz, 2011). Furthermore, the officer had little education and did not have any manuals of policies or procedures to follow (Walker & Katz, 2011). In 1829 this all changed with the introduction of Sir Robert Peel’s Principles of policing. Peel operated the first modern police force that encouraged accountability and professionalism organized by military lines subject to clear chains of command and rules of conduct (Grant & Terry, 2012). Sir Robert Peel’s Principles are as follows: the police must be stable, efficient, and organized along military lines, the police must be under government control, the absence of crime will best prove the efficiency of the police, and the distribution of crime news is essential (Grant & Terry, 2012). In addition, the deployment of police strength by both time and area is essential; no quality is more indispensible to a police officer than a perfect command of

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