The impact of Sir Robert Peel on American policing
The role of patrolling the city by the London Metropolitan Policy Act, which was enacted to run for full-time and to engage the uniformed police force, was a major inspiration for American policing. Sir Robert Peel, who was the home secretary, played a key role in the formation of the police. Peel is credited for coming up with the idea of Bentham, Colquhoun, and Fielding, following his advice on the significance of police to the parliament. As a result, Peel spearheaded the earlier development of the police force. Actually, through Peel, together with his two police commissioners, including Richard Mayne and Charles Rowan were the London’s police role work out. Although the public insisted to be informed the legitimacy of any organization, crime prevention took over. According to Bittner (1970), Peel and his company were responsible for their acts. The policemen acknowledged that Peel led to majority of the reforms. However, the public declared that they were organized; nonetheless, such men that had policies to gain were well thought about. The policemen who are not in order would be requested to gain authority in the eyes of the citizens (Walker & Katz, 2008).
Peel together with his group had selected even-tempered and reserved men. Majority of the policemen were meted out the necessary disciplinary measures and were denied from moving with guns. Appropriate discipline added to the policy’s role that supported the fact that the policy’s institutional authority was borrowed from the English constitution. In other words, the power of London was borrowed from the institution of government. In essence, the cities of America underwent similar problems to those of England. The growth of the cities and towns sparked civil disorders that kept increasing. Following unprecedented growth of cities in America, coupled with increase in crime rate, cities such as New York immensely developed in terms of population (Bittner, 1970).
Following increased security threat as a result of population increase, the American policing borrowed insights from the English legal traditions, which were particularly inspired by Robert peel. Nonetheless, in America, there were some elements which increased the disparity between America and England. Sir Robert Peel planned for the passage of the Metropolitan Police Act Of 1829, the same Act that saw the creation of London policy force, which called for a standardized recruitment, payment, organized, and professional police force which resembled the present day’s force. In addition, the Metropolitan Police Act gave power to Sir Robert to come up with policy force that could foresee the speedy recruitment of thousands of officers, just like the way the military does.
The history of American policing
In view of the above discussion, it is clear that America borrowed most of its policing from the Great Britain. American law is however not excluded from this enforcement. In 1066, the British policing started ahead of Norman Conquest of England. It was interesting when the Europeans landed in America as they found it very wondrous and new. To protect themselves from the ones who were not willing to share their territories, policing was introduced with the responsibility of setting up of themselves. Therefore, policing could be done by the form four leavers, including the young boys.
Justices of the Peace took up the role of making sure that peace was maintained following the getting of fairly well of the ‘things’. However, one could not fail to recognize the ‘culprits’ as they settled down their bills to the society. At the same time, colonies were changing from towns into cities, rendering the justice of the peace system inadequate. Therefore, a need for a paid and organized police force was found. For example, in 1636, Boston city found that Night Watch, an idea which worked exceptionally well considering that the area remained rural and agrarian (Lane, 1967).
In 1651, the New York recognized the Shout and Rattle Watch, though; Philadelphia found the need of splitting the city into ten patrol regions. Development of municipal police departments in America were occasioned by the rapid growth of industrialization and population. Later, in 1833, Philadelphia organized 24 hour a day police force. The New York City had acquired two police forces by 1844, including night watch and daytime turns. Police chiefs were the heads of police departments during this particular period (Grant & Terry, 2008).
Sherriff system was part of the law that was inherited; a law that became more applicable as America moved to the west. The modern police force is highly specialized, with continuous education intended to prepare the police face the endless problems that characterize the present days. Currently, there is the municipal, county, state, and the federal police. Furthermore, the modern word has become more dangerous, and hence dependent on police force for creation of liberty and happiness (Cole & Christopher, 2004).
References
Bittner, E. (1970). The Functions of the Police in Modern Society. Chevy Chase, MD: University Press.
Cole, G., & Smith, C. (2004). The American System of Criminal Justice. Ontario: Wadsworth.
Grant, H. B., & Terry, K. J. (2008). Law enforcement in the 21st century (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Lane, R. (1967). Policing the city. Cambridge, MA: Harvard National Institute of Mental Health.
Walker, S., & Katz, C. M. (2008). The police in America: An introduction (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.