The Development of a Police Force

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Development of a Police Force The Development of a Police Force The first professional police force in the UK, funded by local taxation, was set up in Glasgow in 1800. At the time, the City of Glasgow police undertook more duties than modern police, including fire-fighting. It served Glasgow right through until 1975. In 1822, the Irish Constabulary was set up and became the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1867. The first professional policemen, in England, known as 'Peelers' or 'Bobbies', were set up in London in 1829 by Robert Peel, the then Home Secretary, after 'The Metropolitan Police Act' of 1829. It was the start of a campaign to improve public law. Reform, however, was slow as there was distrust of the police at all levels. The First Policemen in London By September of 1829, the first Metropolitan Police were patrolling the streets of London. There were 17 divisions, which had 4 inspectors and 144 constables each. The force headquarters was Scotland Yard, and it answered to the Home Secretary. The 'Peelers' wore a long blue coats and strengthened tall hats, which protected them from blows to the head and they could use to stand on to look over walls. Their only weapon was a truncheon although they also carried a rattle to raise an alarm. At first, the quality of officers was poor. Of the first 2,800 new policemen, only 600 eventually kept their jobs. The first Metropolitan policeman (who was given the number 1), was sacked after only four hours, for drunkenness. Things eventually settled down. Policing the Counties and Boroughs Despite rising crime levels, most counties retained their Parish Constable. Many people were concerned about the idea of a uniformed force and feared that the police would be used to arrest opponents of the government, stop protests and destroy free speech. By 1848 there were still 22 boroughs that did not have a police force and, in 1850, only 36 counties that did. In 1855, there were still only 12,000 policemen in England and Wales. This was despite the fact that the police force in London was proving effective in reducing crime and increasing detection. .
Recommended publications
  • The History of Policing 97
    THE HISTORY 4 OF POLICING distribute or post, copy, not Do Copyright ©2015 by SAGE Publications, Inc. This work may not be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without express written permission of the publisher. “The myth of the unchanging police “You never can tell what a man is able dominates much of our thinking about to do, but even though I recommend the American police. In both popular ten, and nine of them may disappoint discourse and academic scholarship one me and fail, the tenth one may surprise continually encounters references to the me. That percentage is good enough for ‘tradition-bound’ police who are resistant me, because it is in developing people to change. Nothing could be further from that we make real progress in our own the truth. The history of the American society.” police over the past one hundred years is —August Vollmer (n.d.) a story of drastic, if not radical change.” —Samuel Walker (1977) distribute INTRODUCTION: POLICING LEARNING OBJECTIVES or After finishing this chapter, you should be able to: AS A DYNAMIC ENTITY Policing as we know it today is relatively new. 4.1 Summarize the influence of early The notion of a professional uniformed police officer English policing on policing and the receiving specialized training on the law, weapon use, increasing professionalization of policing and self-defense is taken for granted. In fact, polic- in the United States over time. post,ing has evolved from a system in which officers ini- tially were appointed by friends, given no training, 4.2 Identify how the nature of policing in the provided power to arrest without warrants, engaged United States has changed over time.
    [Show full text]
  • Greater Glasgow & the Clyde Valley
    What to See & Do 2013-14 Explore: Greater Glasgow & The Clyde Valley Mòr-roinn Ghlaschu & Gleann Chluaidh Stylish City Inspiring Attractions Discover Mackintosh www.visitscotland.com/glasgow Welcome to... Greater Glasgow & The Clyde Valley Mòr-roinn Ghlaschu & Gleann Chluaidh 01 06 08 12 Disclaimer VisitScotland has published this guide in good faith to reflect information submitted to it by the proprietor/managers of the premises listed who have paid for their entries to be included. Although VisitScotland has taken reasonable steps to confirm the information contained in the guide at the time of going to press, it cannot guarantee that the information published is and remains accurate. Accordingly, VisitScotland recommends that all information is checked with the proprietor/manager of the business to ensure that the facilities, cost and all other aspects of the premises are satisfactory. VisitScotland accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation contained in the guide and excludes all liability for loss or damage caused by any reliance placed on the information contained in the guide. VisitScotland also cannot accept any liability for loss caused by the bankruptcy, or liquidation, or insolvency, or cessation of trade of any company, firm or individual contained in this guide. Quality Assurance awards are correct as of December 2012. Rodin’s “The Thinker” For information on accommodation and things to see and do, go to www.visitscotland.com at the Burrell Collection www.visitscotland.com/glasgow Contents 02 Glasgow: Scotland with style 04 Beyond the city 06 Charles Rennie Mackintosh 08 The natural side 10 Explore more 12 Where legends come to life 14 VisitScotland Information Centres 15 Quality Assurance 02 16 Practical information 17 How to read the listings Discover a region that offers exciting possibilities 17 Great days out – Places to Visit 34 Shopping every day.
    [Show full text]
  • Constables Accounts
    Worfield Constables Accounts 1590-1675 this series is P314/M constables accounts [P314/M/1/2] 1590 Robert and Roger … constables for carrying a load of wood for the coronation 15d for bringing a poor woman to Claverley 3d for bringing a poor woman to Stockton 3d for bringing a … to Bridgnorth and for his diet 3d for bringing a poor woman on Syverne 3d for going 2 times with hue and cry to Bridgnorth 6d laid out at the muster at Shifnal 4s 8d paid at Bridgnorth to the justices for one soldier, conduct money 41s for mending a calinder flaske and tuchbox 12d for a girdle 6d for one locker and two chapes for daggers 6d for 2 sword girdles 2s 4d for the charges of a prest soldier 16d for the carrying of furniture to Bridgnorth and expenses there for mending 2 girdles 3d for bringing a lame man in a cart to Stockton 6d for wages of soldier and expenses of the training 2 days 16d for a sheffe of arrows for a bow for a quiver [ page torn] [next page] … laid out to a soldier who went into Ireland 36s for his diet and carrying his furniture to Shrewsbury and for a ?girdle 2s 11d for mending a flask, tuchboxe and headpiece 4d for a flask and matchbox 4s 4d for match and powder 8d for other charges at Bridgnorth14d for bringing a man to Pattingham 6d for keeping to boys to Bridgnorth as prisoners for the space of 3 days 8d for bringing them to Bridgnorth 2d for bringing them to Shrewsbury 3s 4d laid out at Bewdley concerning carriage of the councell stuff 21s 3d for ten calyvers and furniture to them 33s laid out at the subsidy at Bridgnorth 20d for
    [Show full text]
  • Urban Policing in Early Victorian England, 183586: a Reappraisal
    Urban Policing in Earlv Victorian J England, 1835-86: a reap p r ai sa1 Roger Swift Chester College of Higher Education hirty years have now elapsed since the publication of Jenifer Hart's seminal study of early Victorian policing.' Subsequently, the T historical debate on the development of policing in the towns and cities of early Victorian England has focused largely on three inter-related themes, namely the circumstances which prompted the advent of the 'new police', the levels of efficiency which the reformed forces attained, and the degree of public acceptability which they received. Police historians have been divided on these issues. Some, including Charles Reith, Sir Leon Radzinowicz, T. Critchley, and J.J. Tobias, have viewed provincial police reform largely in terms of the Benthamite march of progress, whereby the unreformed system was swept away by a centralised and efficient system for the prevention and detection of crime which owed much to the Metropolitan model established by Peel in 1829 and which soon received a general measure of public support and co-operation.' Others, including Robert Storch, David Philips and Tony Donajgrodzki, have argued that police reform was but one strand in the extension of control over working-class society and that the priorities, organisation and methods of ' J. Hart, 'The Reform of the Borough Police, 1835-56: E/nglish] Hlisrorical] Rleview], 1955, cxx, 411-27; see also J. Hart, 'The County and Borough Policc Act, 1856, Public Administration, 1956, 34. ' See, for example, C. Reith, A New Study ofPolice Hirfory (London, 1956); L. Radzinowin. A History of' English Criminal Law and its Administrution from 17.50 (4 vols, London, 1948-68); T.A.
    [Show full text]
  • Pounds Text Make-Up
    A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH PARISH f v N. J. G. POUNDS The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge , UK http: //www.cup.cam.ac.uk West th Street, New York –, USA http://www.cup.org Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne , Australia © N. J. G. Pounds This book is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge Typeset in Fournier MT /.pt in QuarkXPress™ [] A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data Pounds, Norman John Greville. A history of the English parish: the culture of religion from Augustine to Victoria / N. J. G. Pounds. p. cm. Includes index. . Parishes – England – History. Christianity and culture – England – History. England – Church history. Title. Ј.Ј – dc – hardback f v CONTENTS List of illustrations page viii Preface xiii List of abbreviations xv Church and parish Rectors and vicars: from Gratian to the Reformation The parish, its bounds and its division The urban parish The parish and its servants The economics of the parish The parish and the community The parish and the church courts: a mirror of society The parish church, popular culture and the Reformation The parish: its church and churchyard The fabric of the church: the priest’s church The people’s church: the nave and the laity Notes Index vii f v ILLUSTRATIONS The traditional English counties xxvi .
    [Show full text]
  • 20 1642 Response
    OFFICIAL Our Ref: IM-FOI-2020-1642 Date: 12 October 2020 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 I refer to your recent request for information which has been handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. For ease of reference, your request is replicated below together with the response. A poem by Edwin Morgan entitled "Glasgow 5th March 1971" is required reading in my granddaughter"s 4th year English class. It relates to events on that date in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow when a young couple were allegedly pushed through a shop window by 2 or 3 youths who then stole items from the display without regard to the couple's injuries which are described by the poet as the young man's face "bristling with fragments of broken glass" and the girl as spurting "arterial blood over her wet-look white coat". The pupils are now trying to discover what happened to the couple and when their teacher suggested seeking the assistance of any grandparent who may have been in the police my granddaughter volunteered me. I didn't join until March 1972 and have no knowledge of the incident. In 1971 the locus would have been under the remit of The City of Glasgow Police. Is it possible to determine if the incident did occur and if so what happened to the couple? Having considered your request for information, I can advise that Police Scotland does not hold the information requested by you. In terms of Section 17 of the Act, this letter represents a formal notice that the information is not held.
    [Show full text]
  • A Short History of the Glasgow Humane Society Complete with Contextual Historical Events, Newspaper and Minute Articles
    THE GLASGOW HUMANE SOCIETY A Short History of the Glasgow Humane Society Complete with contextual historical events, newspaper and minute articles Dr George G. Parsonage, MBE 8/1/2016 The following gives an idea of what the world was like at the end of the 1700’s, it tells of the foundation of the Glasgow Humane Society, of the Awards and Gifts given to the Society and of some of the main occurrences in its development. 1. The Glasgow Humane Society and Enlightenment: The Spirit of an Age The Glasgow Humane Society was set up by members of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow at some point in the 1790s. This period marked the latter stages of what has been came to be termed as the ‘Enlightenment’ or ‘Enlightenment movement’ by historians and other scholars alike. It is notable for many features but for the Glasgow Humane Society’s purpose it can be seen as a time when the influence of scholars and philosophers such as Descartes, Newton, Kant, Goethe, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Adam Smith – to name but a few – created in Europe a temperament in man for reason and self- improvement and moving away from religious intolerance and ignorance. At this previous time if you fell (or jumped) into a waterway and were in danger of drowning seldom would anyone go to your assistance. In the eyes of the church, if you attempted to take your own life, as many who jumped into the river no doubt had in mind, you were to end up in hell and suffer eternal damnation.
    [Show full text]
  • Supplement to the London Gazette, Ist January 1966
    32 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, IST JANUARY 1966 Miss Olga Mildred PATTERSON, Teacher, OVERSEAS TERRITORIES Anglican Primary School, St. Lucia. Sydney Aloysius ANDERSON, Chief of Police, Algenor MOREL, Coxswain, Ferry Boat, St. Vincent. Seychelles. Thomas Edwin CLUNIE, Senior Assistant Com- Te Bereti NAOU, Magistrate, Tamana Island, missioner of Police, Hong Kong. Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, Western George Bernard McCAFFERY, Commissioner Pacific. of Police, Mauritius. HOME OFFICE WHITEHALL, LONDON S.W.I , HOME OFFICE 1st January 1966 WHITEHALL, LONDON S.W.I The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to 1st January 1966 approve the award of the Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service to the undermentioned: The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Queen's Fire Service Queen's Police Medal Medal for Distinguished Service to the under- ENGLAND AND WALES mentioned: John Maxwell HILL, D.F.C., Her Majesty's In- Queen's Fire Service Medal spector of Constabulary (lately Commander, ENGLAND AND WALES Metropolitan Police). Frank Stanley GALE, Chief Constable, Stanley LAMBERT, Assistant Chief Officer Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police. (Deputy Chief Fire Officer), Sheffield Fire Eric Arthur ABBOTT, Chief Constable, Brigade. Worcester City Police. Hugh Lloyd ABBITT, Divisional Officer, Grade Thomas Christopher WILLIAMS, Chief Con- I, London Fire Brigade. stable, West Sussex Constabulary. Rowland NOBLE, Chief Fire Officer, Newcastle Arthur HAMBLETON, M.C., Chief Constable, .and Gateshead Joint Fire Service. Dorset Constabulary. Albert Edward LEIGHTON, Divisional Officer, Frank GREEN, M.B.E., Assistant Chief Con- Grade I, London Fire Brigade. stable, Kingston-upon-Hull City Police. Stanley Wilfred SHEAT, Chief Fire Service James JENNER, Assistant Chief Constable, Officer, Ministry of Aviation Fire Service.
    [Show full text]
  • The Metropolitan Police Act of 1829
    Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume 55 Article 18 Issue 1 March Spring 1964 The etrM opolitan Police Act of 1829 J. L. Lyman Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclc Part of the Criminal Law Commons, Criminology Commons, and the Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons Recommended Citation J. L. Lyman, The eM tropolitan Police Act of 1829, 55 J. Crim. L. Criminology & Police Sci. 141 (1964) This Criminology is brought to you for free and open access by Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology by an authorized editor of Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons. POLICE SCIENCE THE METROPOLITAN POLICE ACT OF 1829: An Analysis of Certain Events Influencing the Passage and Character of the Metropolitan Police Act in England J. L. LYMAN J. L. Lyman, D. Pub. Adm. (Oxon.) is an Assistant Professor, Department of Social Science, Youngstown (Ohio) University. In addition to graduate study in history and political institutions at London University, Dr. Lyman spent time as an observer with the Metropolitan Police and various other English police units. In 1958 she lectured before the Ohio Chiefs of Police Association on the Organization and Administration of the Metropolitan Police, and has published articles in several other professional journals.-EDroR. The Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 introduced system had become ineffective. Tradition and the a centralized and unified system of police in concepts of tlhe new industrial capitalism delayed England. The Act constituted a revolution in both the recognition of, and the willingness to deal traditional methods of law enforcement.
    [Show full text]
  • ENFORCING LAW and ORDER (Catching Criminals) in the SAXON and MEDIEVAL ERA, C. 500 - 1500
    ENFORCING LAW AND ORDER (Catching criminals) IN THE SAXON AND MEDIEVAL ERA, c. 500 - 1500 Communal and family responsibility in Saxon and medieval times The idea of policing in Saxon and medieval Britain was very different to the system that has developed today. Three key points were: The Saxon and medieval system of policing was based on community action where individuals were expected to aid their neighbours and protect their villages from crime. In effect, the people were the police themselves Society in this period was hierarchical. Medieval kings relied on their nobles to keep order and they had great control over the peasants in the villages and towns Another organisation that held great power was the church. Bishops and other senior churchmen had the power to hold their own church courts which dealt with religious issues such as non-payment of tithes and blasphemy Communal methods of combatting crime People in the Saxon and early medieval periods used a system of tithings. This system had several features: Groups of ten families were entrusted with policing minor problems such as disturbances, fire, wild animals and other threats Their leader was called a ‘tithingman’ and he was expected to raise the hue and cry to assemble his followers when the community was threatened and pursue suspected offenders Ten tithings were grouped into a hundred and the ‘hundredman’ dealt with more serious breaches of the law in the community England was divided up into shires or counties during most of the medieval period. The main person responsible for keeping order at shire level was the shire reeve (sheriff), a royal official who was responsible for public order in his area and had the authority to raise a posse comitatus to capture criminals that had escaped the tithing.
    [Show full text]
  • The Priory of Scotland of the Order of St John Handbook and Member List
    The Priory of Scotland of the Order of St John Handbook and Member List 2020 Contents History of the Order of St John.................................................................4 The Order in Scotland..................................................................................5 The Order of St John Today........................................................................6 Grades of the Order......................................................................................7 Foundation Dues and Oblations.................................................7 Postnominal letters..........................................................................7 Medals and insignia.........................................................................8 Order of St John Service Medal...................................................9 Order of St John Award for Organ Donation...........................9 St John House................................................................................................10 Chapter Room..................................................................................10 Library..................................................................................................11 Torphichen Preceptory...............................................................................11 Governance of the Order...........................................................................12 Area Committees..........................................................................................14 Roll of Order
    [Show full text]
  • CRESC Working Paper Series
    CRESC Working Paper Series Working Paper No. 21 Liberty and Order: Civil Government and the Common Good in Eighteenth-Century England Francis Dodsworth CRESC, Open University August 2006 For further information: Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change (CRESC) Faculty of Social Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK Tel: +44 (0)1908 654458 Fax: +44 (0)1908 659267 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Web: www.cresc.ac.uk The support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is gratefully acknowledged. CRESC Working Papers Liberty and Order: Civil Government and the Common Good in Eighteenth-Century England Francis Dodsworth Abstract Recent Foucaultian work on ‘governmentality’ posits a distinction between two ‘rationalities’ of government: ‘police’ and ‘liberalism’. The former is closely associated with the idea of order, produced through constant and detailed intervention in public life. The latter is associated with freedom and the insulation of the social and economic spheres from (particularly political) interference. In this working paper I argue that defining the novelty of liberalism in terms of the presence of freedom at the heart of the governmental imagination is misplaced. The differences between English liberalism and continental police represent as much the ethos of the different political systems analysed as a transformation in the basic focus of government. To better understand the distinction between liberalism and its predecessors, I suggest that we need to pay more attention to the history of the idea of freedom itself. Therefore, I analyse the system of government in England before liberalism, demonstrating that although English civil government bears marked similarities to continental systems of ‘police’, it was not understood as a condition of order as opposed to liberty.
    [Show full text]