In most countries, the police force is like a well-oiled machine with one central command and control. But in the United States, it’s more like a giant patchwork quilt, made up of thousands of individual police departments operating independently. This is called a decentralized system, and it’s quite different from the centralized model used in many other parts of the world. There are over 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies, from tiny rural towns to massive city departments.
Some people think this decentralized system is inefficient and wasteful. It’s like having a bunch of cooks in the kitchen, each making their own version of the same dish. Wouldn’t it be better to have one head chef in control, ensuring everything is done the same way? That’s the argument for consolidation and centralization of police forces.
But others believe that local control is important. They argue that it allows communities to have more say in how their police operate and hold them accountable. Just like a homeowner might have different needs from a high-rise apartment dweller, different communities might require different kinds of policing.
So, what’s the best approach? Is it a unified, centralized force like the one in London, or a decentralized patchwork like the one in the United States? This is a question that continues to be debated by police reform advocates today.
Reflect
Do you think the decentralized nature of policing in the United States is a strength or a weakness? Why or why not?
Henry Fielding’s Bow Street Runners
Imagine London in the 18th century: a city bustling with life, but also plagued by crime. Enter Henry Fielding, a magistrate with a revolutionary vision for policing.
Appointed in 1748, Fielding saw a need beyond simply reacting to crime. He believed in prevention and proposed a radical idea: citizens should report suspicious activity to the authorities. This innovative system became one of the first official crime-reporting structures in history.
Fielding’s vision continued through his brother, John, who succeeded him as Magistrate. John, known as the “Blind Beak” due to his blindness, took things a step further. He established the Bow Street Runners, a group of former criminals who used their underworld knowledge to track down other criminals.
Unlike the unreliable constables of the time, the Bow Street Runners were professional and effective. They quickly gained a reputation for bringing law and order to London’s streets, paving the way for modern policing as we know it.
Reflect
Why do you think Henry Fielding and the Bow Street Runners were so important? How have their ideas influenced modern police forces?
Robert Peel and the Metropolitan Police Act
In 1829, the streets of London were far from safe. Imagine a city teeming with crime and disorder, with no unified police force to speak of. Just a patchwork system of inefficient and often corrupt groups like night watchmen and parish constables. Something had to change.
Enter Robert Peel, a visionary Home Secretary who saw the need for a modern police force. In that year, he convinced Parliament to pass the Metropolitan Police Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation that ushered in a new era of professionalized policing.
This Act marked a turning point in history. It established the London Metropolitan Police as one of the world’s first modern, professional police forces. Prior to this, London lacked any organized or centralized system of law enforcement.
Peel’s Act introduced several key features:
- Full-time salaried officers: This ensured a dedicated force of trained professionals, unlike the unreliable constables of the past.
- Military-style structure: This provided a clear chain of command and promoted discipline and efficiency.
- Emphasis on prevention: Instead of simply reacting to crimes, officers were tasked with patrolling and deterring them before they occurred.
- Identifiable uniforms: Blue uniforms helped build public trust and give officers a distinct identity.
- Local patrol districts: The city was divided into 17 divisions, each with its own team of officers responsible for specific areas.
These revolutionary changes were not met without resistance. Many feared that the “New Police” would be too powerful or that their focus on prevention would be intrusive. However, the success of the Metropolitan Police was undeniable. Crime rates in London plummeted, and the force quickly gained public trust.
Peel’s model spread like wildfire. Within a few decades, his ideas were adopted by police forces throughout the United Kingdom, the British Empire, and beyond. Today, his influence on modern policing is still felt worldwide.
Reflect
Why was the Metropolitan Police Act such a groundbreaking piece of legislation? How has it influenced the way police forces operate today?
Preventive Patrols
Imagine a city before reliable police, where crime ran rampant. That’s where Robert Peel’s innovative preventive patrols came in. He divided London into districts, assigning each a dedicated “Bobby,” a police constable known for his regular walks on his beat.
These Bobbies weren’t just there to react to crime. They were visible guardians, deterring criminals with their presence and blue uniforms. Peel’s focus shifted from responding to crime to preventing it in the first place.
This “seismic shift” from reactive to proactive policing paid off. Crime rates in London plummeted, and preventive patrols became a cornerstone of modern policing around the world.
Reflect
Why is preventive patrol so important? Do you think it really contributes to public safety? Why do you say that?
Militaristic Organization
Today, it’s almost second nature to see police officers in uniforms with ranks like sergeant and captain. But this organized structure wasn’t always the norm. In fact, it was Robert Peel who pioneered this approach in the early 19th century.
Inspired by the military, Peel established a hierarchy of ranks and instilled discipline and obedience in his officers. This ensured a unified and efficient force, a stark contrast to the haphazard systems of the past.
While the extent of militarization varies today, Peel’s influence remains undeniable. His vision of a disciplined, structured police force laid the foundation for the model we still see in most modern societies.
Reflect
Why do you think Robert Peel adopted a militaristic model for his police force? Do you think this approach continues to be effective today?
Opposition and Eventual Acceptance
When the first “Bobbies” hit the streets of London, they were met with derision and suspicion. This “New Police” was a radical change, and many citizens saw them as an intrusive force infringing on their liberties. Unfamiliar uniforms and constant patrols fueled accusations of spying and abuse of power. Public ridicule and harassment became commonplace for the early Bobbies.
But these officers persevered. They continued their preventive patrols, maintaining a polite and professional demeanor. Slowly, public perception began to shift. As Londoners grew accustomed to the Bobbies’ presence and witnessed the drop in crime rates, their views changed. The “threatening authority figures” transformed into “helpful community assets.”
The success of Peel’s reforms reverberated beyond London’s borders. His leadership, efficient organization, and innovative approach to law enforcement earned widespread admiration. The plummeting crime rates in London silenced lingering doubts and proved the value of professionalized police departments. The public embraced the safety and security provided by the brave men in blue.
Reflect
Why do you think it took time for the public to accept the Metropolitan Police? What contributed to the eventual shift in public opinion?
Peel’s Principles of Law Enforcement
Peel appointed Charles Rowan, an army colonel, and Richard Mayne, an Irish barrister, as the first commissioners of the force; both men were strong leaders and effective administrators who instilled in their officers the values embodied in a mission statement popularly known as Peel’s Principles.
Sir Robert Peel’s Principles of Law Enforcement
- The basic mission for which police exist is to prevent crime and disorder as an alternative to the repression of crime and disorder by military force and severity of legal punishment.
- The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police existence, actions, behavior and the ability of the police to secure and maintain public respect.
- The police must secure the willing cooperation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain public respect.
- The degree of cooperation of the public that can be secured diminishes, proportionately, to the necessity for the use of physical force and compulsion in achieving police objectives.
- The police seek and preserve public favor, not by catering to public opinion, but by constantly demonstrating absolutely impartial service to the law, in complete independence of policy, and without regard to the justice or injustice of the substance of individual laws; by ready offering of individual service and friendship to all members of society without regard to their race or social standing, by ready exercise of courtesy and friendly good humor; and by ready offering of individual sacrifice in protecting and preserving life.
- The police should use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient to achieve police objectives; and police should use only the minimum degree of physical force which is necessary on any particular occasion for achieving a police objective.
- The police at all times should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police are the only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the intent of the community welfare.
- The police should always direct their actions toward their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary by avenging individuals or the state, or authoritatively judging guilt or punishing the guilty.
- The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with them.
From London Streets to Global Standard
The success of Peel’s Metropolitan Police in London was undeniable. Crime rates plummeted, proving the effectiveness of preventive patrols and community policing. However, the force soon faced a new challenge: controlling large-scale protests.
In the late 1830s, economic hardship and political movements like the Chartists led to violent demonstrations. The Metropolitan Police, trained in crowd control tactics and organized with military precision, successfully quelled these disturbances, even without resorting to deadly force. This further solidified Peel’s model as a viable solution for maintaining public order even in times of unrest.
Yet, extending this model beyond London took time. The Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 encouraged local watch committees, but a standardized approach wasn’t established until the 1856 County and Borough Police Act.
This legislation mandated the implementation of key principles from the Metropolitan Police across all localities:
- Military-style hierarchy: Ensured clear lines of command and efficient operation.
- Preventative patrols: Focused on deterring crime before it happened.
- Nonpartisan public accountability: Emphasized the police’s responsibility to serve the community.
- Officer conduct anchored in service: Prioritized professionalism and ethical behavior.
By scaling up these principles, Peel’s model cemented its footprint as the global standard for modern policing. His vision of centralized command, crime deterrence, and community cooperation continues to shape police forces around the world.
Reflect
Why do you think it took time for Peel’s model to be adopted beyond London? What were the key factors that contributed to its eventual widespread acceptance?
Key Terms
centralized model, decentralized, amalgamation, Metropolitan Police, national police forces, local control, community accountability, Bow Street Runners, Metropolitan Police Act, proactive policing, preventative patrols, militaristic organization, public skepticism, Peel’s Principles
References and Further Reading
- Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). (2018). Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2018. https://bjs.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh236/files/media/document/csllea18st.pdf
Modification History File Created: 08/15/2018 Last Modified: 12/11/2023
This work is licensed under an Open Educational Resource-Quality Master Source (OER-QMS) License.
