Policing Through History

Summary

This transcript explores the complex relationship between urban environments and crime. It traces the history of policing from ancient cities like Athens and Rome to modern cities such as New York, where law enforcement evolved to maintain order. Cities facilitate both voluntary social interactions and involuntary crimes like theft and violence. Over time, policing strategies have shifted, from informal watchmen to professional forces, facing challenges like corruption, brutality, and balancing public safety with civil liberties. The discussion highlights New York's reforms, including broken windows policing, and the ongoing challenge of reducing crime without mass incarceration.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ Urban proximity fosters both positive and negative social interactions, with voluntary interactions generally being beneficial.
• 🚨 Cities facilitate crime by providing easy access for criminals to victims and making it harder to catch criminals due to the large number of suspects.
• 👮 Police forces are essential in cities due to the need to protect a large population, which justifies the cost of law enforcement.
• 🏛️ Ancient civilizations like Athens and Rome had early forms of policing, though they were more focused on preventing riots and maintaining order rather than modern crime fighting.
• 🇫🇷 France is credited with creating modern policing, with King Louis XIV centralizing the police force in 1666, focusing on Paris.
• 🇬🇧 The English, wary of oppressive power, delayed establishing a modern police force until 1829, under Sir Robert Peel's Metropolitan Police Act.
• 🇺🇸 The U.S. followed the English model, with Boston creating a police force in 1838 and New York establishing its own in 1845, though early American police forces were plagued by corruption.
• ⚖️ Corruption and political manipulation often undermined the effectiveness of police forces, as seen in New York's 19th-century struggles with Tammany Hall.
• 💼 Reform efforts, such as those by Teddy Roosevelt in the 1890s, aimed to professionalize police forces, leading to improvements in merit-based appointments and accountability.
• 🔐 While modern policing has made cities safer, issues like over-imprisonment for minor offenses and controversial tactics like stop and frisk remain unresolved.

Q & A

What are some benefits and drawbacks of urban proximity mentioned in the script?

Urban proximity enables voluntary social interactions like sharing meals or getting services, which benefit everyone involved. However, it also allows involuntary interactions, such as crime, which can harm the urban environment.

How do cities contribute to crime according to the speaker?

Cities contribute to crime by giving thieves and criminals easier access to victims and making it harder to catch criminals due to the larger number of suspects.

Why is law enforcement closely tied to cities?

Law enforcement is tied to cities because cities concentrate enough people to justify the costs of professional police forces. The term 'police' itself comes from 'polis,' the Greek word for city.

How did ancient Athens and Rome handle public order and crime?

Ancient Athens used 300 Syrian slave archers to prevent riots, while citizens had to prosecute criminals themselves. In Rome, Augustus established a 7,000-man force to fight fires and crime, alongside the more military-focused cohortes urbanae and Praetorian Guard.

What role did night watchmen play in European cities after the fall of Rome?

Night watchmen, often under the authority of local constables, patrolled towns to raise alarms in case of disturbances. They primarily acted as local officials rather than full-time police officers.

How did France influence modern policing?

France is considered the birthplace of modern policing. King Louis XIV centralized the police force in 1666, with Paris receiving special attention. By the 18th century, Paris had over 1,000 policemen, marking the growth of organized policing.

Why was there resistance to the establishment of a police force in England?

The English feared oppressive government power, which delayed the creation of a police force. The Metropolitan Police Act wasn't passed until 1829, creating a police force in London known for being lightly armed to avoid fears of abuse.

What were the major issues facing American police forces in the 19th century?

American police forces, particularly in cities like New York, were plagued by corruption, with officers accepting bribes to ignore laws. Payments often filtered up to political machines like Tammany Hall, exacerbating the problem.

How did the Lexow Committee investigation impact New York City's police department?

The Lexow Committee exposed corruption within New York City's police, particularly targeting officers like Alexander 'Clubber' Williams. The revelations led to reforms, including the election of a reforming mayor and the appointment of Teddy Roosevelt as police commissioner.

What is 'broken windows policing,' and how did it impact New York City?

'Broken windows policing' is a strategy that targets minor quality-of-life crimes to prevent more serious offenses. It was implemented under Rudy Giuliani and contributed to making New York City much safer, but also led to criticisms of strong-arm tactics like stop-and-frisk.