Municipal Policing In the Northeast

Municipal Policing In the Northeast Developments in Boston New York Philadelphia

Changing Conditions • Economic Growth and territorial expansion • Shift in political thought and class stratification • Prosperity broadened and economy stabilized – transportation and market revolutions • Predominantly WASP’s were in conflict with nonwhite cultures

Changing Conditions (Con’t) • Politics changed as the electorate expanded • Non-propertied “common man” emerged as a political force • New class of democratic politicians emerged who preferred (1) the power of federal government to that of the states and (2) the rights of the individual to the power of the government

Changing Conditions (Con’t) • Southern half of the Nation would rely totally upon black slave labor to support a credit based agrarian economy

Changing Conditions (Con’t) • Northern half began the road toward mass manufacturing using wage labor to sustain a consumer market economy • Individuals lashed out at special privilege and the archaic, oppressive class structure • Cities were characterized by ambition and greed and “boiled” with ethnic and racial conflict – clashes between the “haves” and “have-nots”

Boston • By 1800’s the changing conditions too much for the watchman system • 1801 Mayor given additional title of “Superintendent of Police” • 1822 “Marshal of the City” appointed • Most important duty was “health officer” • Other duties added e.g. licensing dogs, catching poatchers

Dealing with crime not a direct responsibility City government was to facilitate business Neither night watch or marshals patrolled the city to prevent crime Independent day watch as a police force in 1848 Legislature amended city charter to combine watch and ward in 1854 Changes began with Strong Mayor system Boston, (Con’t)

The organizing structure of modern policing • The establishment of an organized police structure under the control of a “chief” appointed by the mayor and the town council • Chicago (1851) • New Orleans (1852) • Cincinnati (1852) • Baltimore (1857)

New York • Expanding population increased diversity, social controls of the “small communities” began to disintegrate • Navtivism and racism combined with social stratification produce unrest and urban problems • Community pride grounded in republicanism slowed acceptance of change in the policing system

New York (Con’t) • Urban life grew intolerable and threatened economic stability • The inefficiencies of the police system became a focal point of government and business leaders who demanded better “riot control” • The Metropolitan Police Act (1829 UK) was seen as a “solution”

New York (Con’t) • “Peels” Act produced problems in the U.S.A. – it called for a centralized police force • Jacksonian democracy sought to limit the already expanding powers of state and federal government and to rather promote individual rights • Riots in 1834 –35 resulted in the use of military troops • Not until the unsolved murder of Mary Rogers were the concerns about police incompetence, seeking reward for their work, and not organized to handle complicated criminal cases significant

New York (Con’t) • 1845 Democrats won over the nativist vote to temporarily resolve the impasse in developing serious police reform measures • Law did not replace any existing agencies • Created a force of 200 (Municipal Police) • Became the first city to move from “citizen” police to “public” police • NY police remained a “local” force where as the “bobbies” were a “national” police

New York (Con’t) • Corruptive influences developed • 1857 New York legislature responding to major criticism, assumed control of the NYPD • 1870 the state board was abolished – this was as close as New York would get to recreating the MPA • First in the country to wear a badge (Star) • First to place executive authority over police as a distinct department • Ordinances gave responsibility for managing the department and disciplining authority to one person

Philadelphia • Philadelphia had “organized police” long before Peel’s MCA • 1797 legislature gave mayor authority to create a paid “night watch” and to appoint night watchmen • As early as 1814 mayor had appointed a police captain & lieutenant to be in charge of the night watch with a paid salary • 1827 night watchmen began taking an oath, swearing to do their duty to protect and serve the citizens of Philly • Nativism and racism emerged as problems

Philadelphia (Con’t) • Nativism affected the temperance movement, rivalries among fire companies and gang wars • Racism produced conflict surrounding the abolitionist movement, clashes between neighborhoods, and violent assaults on one race by another • Again, the commitment to republicanism clashed with distortions inherent in nativism and racism

Philadelphia (Con’t) • Joseph M’Ilvaine proposed a regular police • Collection of information regarding crimes • Investigation of all details necessary to prepare a legal case • The arrest of the “culprits” • Committee established (ca 1834) to study the proposal and recommended “the establishment of an efficient preventive police” • Also recommended the establishment of a special constable branch to purse and apprehend professional criminals (the first “police detectives”)

Police Oversight • Earliest reference – 1844 aborted attempt in New York • 1850 Philadelphia created a short lived board • 1853 - New York board of “police commissioners • 1853 New Orleans • 1859 Cincinnati • 1859 San Francisco • 1861 Detroit, St. Louis, & Kansas City • Most did not last – corrupt politics – city/state conflicts and return to “home rule”

Conclusions • Attitudes towards policing shifted form fear of centralized authority to acceptance of organized municipal law enforcement • Towns became cities • Nativism created conservative political environment • Ethnic and racial prejudice reached increasingly higher levels of intensity • Set the stage for how police would respond to massive urbanization

Municipal Policing In the Northeast