Changes in the Police in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries

The Evolution of the Police Force

1. Ruling Elite• Nervous about Social Disorder• Potential Dangers of their lives and property2. Influx of People• Horrible living conditions • High crime rate• Poverty and Unemployment• Great Social Dissatisfaction

These factors caused an outcry from the urban middle class for an official police force to protect them and their property.

Reasons for a New Police Force

The French were the first in Western Europe to have an official police force. The Serjents came about when the Prefect of Paris, Louis-Maurice Debelleyme, proclaimed “The essential object of our municipal police is the safety of the inhabitants of Paris. Safety by day and night, free traffic movement, clean streets, the supervision of and precaution against accidents, the maintenance of order in public places, the seeking of offence and the perpetrators.” The Serjents were launched in March of 1829 they wore blue uniforms and carried white canes during the day and sabers during the night.

The French Serjents

The British prior to September 1829 relied on a system of unpaid constables to uphold order but they were highly ineffective in keeping order, stopping crime, catching criminals, and police work in general. The Bobbies were named after their founder Robert Peel and were introduced from Septemeber 1829-May 1830. Their main goal was to prevent crime but soon evolved to the role of public servant as they were often called on to do any kind of job like cleaning the drunks out of the streets after Saturday night’s festivities.

The British Bobbies

After the revolutions in Germany of 1848 a government operated and financed police force was established. The Schutzmannshaft were modeled after the British Bobbies in all aspects. However they soon evolved into a much more military operation supported by weapons such as pistols, swords, and brass knuckles.

The German Shutzmannschaft

Prior to 1829 capital punishment was used arbitrarily on most crimes. England also tried sending their criminals to their colony Australia but the colonists were not very happy about this and eventually got them to stop sending criminals to Australia. Then there was a change based off the American system of prisons, they aimed to rehabilitate not isolate or kill. Both the French and the English had prisons based off the Walnut Street Prison in Philadelphia.

The Prison Systems

Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization: a Brief History. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, 2005. Print."Sir Robert Peel, the Peelers (bobbies) and the Establishment of the Modern Police Force in England." Historic UK - Heritage Accommodation in Castles,cottages,hotels,bed and Breakfast,boats,dream Weddings, Living History and History Magazine. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/England-History/SirRobertPeel.htm>.<a href="http://law.jrank.org/pages/11192/Walnut-Street-Prison.html">Walnut Street Prison</a>

Bibliography