INTRODUCTION TO POLICING

Week 1 Historical Background of Policing

 LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 2

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF POLICING

Introduction
In this module, we will be discussing
the history of policing as well as the evolution of
policing system in the Philippines.

Please do the following in sequential manner:

1. READ the notes in history of policing;

2. ANSWER the given Activity at the end of
this module.

THE MEANING OF THE TERM “POLICE”

POLICE is the agency of a community or government that is responsible for

enforcing the law, maintaining public order, and preventing and detecting crime.

In the very broadest sense, the term POLICE refer to the internal organization or
regulation of the state, the control and regulation of the community or state through
the exercise of the constitutional power of the government.

In a narrower sense, POLICE denote the constitutionally created agency that

exercises the power of the government concerning the maintenance of tranquility,
public order, peace, security of persons and property and the protection of public
health and morale.

In a very restricted sense, POLICE refer to that organization of armed men, which
is actually an institution that is capable of exercising legally mandated duties to enforce
the law, maintain public order, and detect and prevent crimes.

NOTE: The term Police is not the same with policeman.

POLICE POLICEMAN

▪ refers to the agency ▪ refers to the person employed in that agency.

“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of not the circumstances.” –
Unknown |
 LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 3

▪ Juridical Person: a being of legal existence ▪ Natural Person: refers to human being.
susceptible of rights and legal obligations or
being subject of juridical relations. It refers to
corporation, partnership, association,
entity, and the like.

BASIC CONCEPT OF POLICEORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

Organization – is an association or group of individuals with a common goal. It is the

structure of individuals and functions into a productive relationship.

Police Organization – a structured group of trained personnel dealt with achieving

following goals and objectives.

Goals:
1. To protect life and property
2. To ensure public safety.
3. To maintain peace and order.

Objectives:
1. To attain effectiveness in the enforcement of law and efficiency of law
enforcers.
2. To attain a low crime volume and crime rate.
3. To attain a maximum degree of solution and criminal conviction of law
violators.
4. To attain maximum degree in the protection of life and property.

Police Administration

Police in action - the cooperative human effort to achieve the purposes of the
Criminal Justice System.

It also refers to the study of processes and conditions on law enforcement as a

pillar of the Criminal Justice System.

EVOLUTION OF POLICE SYSTEM (worldwide Setting)

A. How did the term POLICE evolved?

“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of not the circumstances.” –
Unknown |
 LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 4

The term police came from the Greek word POLITEIA (government of a city),
which was used to describe the group of civil officers governing the city and not
necessarily the armed guarding or policing the city. When the Romans conquered the
Greeks, the changed the word slightly to POLITIA. The French changed the word to
POLICE and used it to those authorized people who actually enforce the law. The
English and the Americans borrowed the word from the French and used it to describe
a law enforcement officer.

The creation of police force as a protective and law enforcement organization

developed from the use of military bodies as guardians of the peace such as the
PRAETORIAN GUARD of ancient Rome. The Romans achieved a high level of law
enforcement, which remained in effect until the decline of the empire and the onset of
the Middle Ages. Beginning in the 5th century, policing became a function of the heads
of fiefdoms and principalities.

B. What were the developments in policing system during the Middle Ages?

1. During the ANGLO-SAXON (Ancient England) Period (600-1066 AD), the following
policing systems were practiced:

A. THANES Policing System – it was introduced by King Alfred the Great. A

type of internal police force where landowners throughout the kingdom
were responsible to police their own territory. Landowners were
empowered to arrest offenders and deliver them to the King. Also,
landowners were also empowered to settle civil litigations.
B. FRANKPLEDGE System - Policing was carried out under a system called
frankpledge or mutual pledge, whereby every male over 12 years old join
nine (9) of his neighbors to form a TYTHINGMEN – a group of men whose
duty was to apprehend any person who offends another and deliver that
offender for trial. Anyone who failed to join and perform this obligatory
duty was severely fined. Thus, policing responsibility lies on the hands of
the citizens.
C. TUN POLICING. Tun was the forerunner of the word “town”. Under this
system, all male residents were required to guard the town to preserve
peace and order, protect the life and properties of the people and other
factors that disturbs the peace and order.

D. HUE AND CRY. In this system, the complainant or victim goes to the
middle of the community and shout to call all male residents to
assemble. The victim reports his complaint to the
assembly. Consequently, all the male residents will go after the criminal
and apprehend him.

“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of not the circumstances.” –
Unknown |
 LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 5

E. ROYAL JUDGE System. The royal judge conducted criminal investigation

and gave punishment fitted to the crime committed. This practice started
the identification of criminals.

F. TRIAL BY ORDEAL. A suspect was required to place his hands over boiling
water or oil. If he would not get hurt, he will be acquitted but when hurt,
he would be considered guilty. Double jeopardy was prevalent during
this period.

2. During the NORMAL PERIOD (1066-1285), the following are significant

contributions to the development of policing system:

A. SHIRE-REEVE System. When King William Norman became the ruler of England, he
divided his kingdom into 55 military districts known as the Shire-Reeves. SHIRE
means a district while REEVE means the ruler who made laws, pass judgment and
impose punishment. He was assisted by a group of constables, the forerunner of
the constabulary. The term Shire-Reeve eventually became Sheriff, the title of
the chief of constables or police officers in a certain town. The TRAVELLING
JUDGE was held responsible in deciding cases that were taken from Shire-Reeves
due to some abuses.

B. LEGIS HENRIE. This law was enacted during the time of King Henry I, which
imposed the following features:
 Law violations were classified as offenses against the King.
 Policemen became public officials.
 The police and the citizens have the broad power to arrest.
 Grand Jury was created to inquire on the facts of the law.

C. In 1195, King Richard of England issued a proclamation entitled KEEPERS OF THE

PEACE, requiring the appointment of Knights to keep the King’s peace by
standing as guards on bridges and gates while checking the people entering
and leaving the cities and towns.

D. On June 15, 1215, MAGNA CARTA (Great Charter) was sealed by King John of
England. This became a law upon the demand of the Knights of the Round
Table. The knights forced King John to sign the document which declared the
following:

1) No freemen shall be taken or imprisoned, disposed, outlawed, or bowed

except by legal judgment of his peers.

“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of not the circumstances.” –
Unknown |
 LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 6

2) No person should be tried for murder unless there is proof of the body of the
victim.

3) There should be national and local government as well as the national and
local legislation.

4. During the WESTMINSTER PERIOD (1285-1500):

a. STATUTE OF WINCHESTER (1285) was enacted for law and order. This law
introduced the system of Watch and Ward.

b. STATUTE OF 1295 was enacted, which began the closing of the gates of London
during sunset. This started the observation of curfew hours.

c. USTICE OF THE PEACE was a position given to a respected citizen, who has the
power to arrest, pursue and imprison the offenders.

d. STAR CHAMBER COURT was established as special court that tried offenders
against the state.

C. What were the developments in policing system during the Modern Period
(17th-19th century) in England?

1. KING CHARLES II of England passed a law in 1663 that provided for the employment
of NIGHT WATCHMEN or BELLMEN to be on duty from sunset to sunrise.

2. In 1748, HENRY FIELDING became the Chief Magistrate at Bow Street in London. He
organized a group of men known as BOW STREET RUNNERS (thief catchers). He later
formed the BOW STREET HORSE PATROL whose duty was to patrol the main roads thus
secure the travelers from highwaymen or highway bandits.

3. The British statesman SIR ROBERT PEEL in 1829 established the LONDON METROPOLITAN
POLICE, which became the world’s first modern organized police force. It was later
called SCOTLAND YARD. The development of the British police system is especially
significant because the pattern that emerged not only became a model for the
American police system but also had great influence on the style of policing in
almost all industrial societies. Peel earned the title – THE FATHER OF MODERN
POLICING SYSTEM.

“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of not the circumstances.” –
Unknown |
 LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 7

D. What were the developments in FRENCH POLICE SYSTEM during the Modern
Period in France?

1. During the 17th century in France, King Louis XIV maintained a small central police
organization consisting of some 40 inspectors who, with the help of numerous paid
informants, supplied the government with details about the conduct of private
individuals.

2. In Paris, the position OFFICERS DE PAIX was formed in 1791. This was the origin of the
term Peace Officers. The French were the first to establish uniformed police officers
– they were called SERGENT DE VILLE (servant of the city). Other contributions of the
French in the development of policing system were:
a. Conceiving Street signs.
b. Assigning house numbers.
c. Installing Street lighting.
d. Creating emergency and rescue services.
e. Use of police ambulances.
f. Use of “warrant card” and ID signifying authority to arrest.

E. What were the developments in AMERICAN POLICE SYSTEM during the modern
period and thereafter?

1. Policing system in America followed the model developed in England. New York,
Boston and Philadelphia organized their night watchmen, which was similar to the
bellmen created in London during the reign of King Charles II. These night
watchmen were known as RATTLEWATCH because they carried rattles while on duty
to inform the public of their watchful presence.

2. Development of American municipal (rural and city) police force

a. In 1638, night-watch was initiated in Boston, Massachusetts.

b. In 1658, rattle-watch was organized in New York.
c. Nigh-watch started in Philadelphia in 1700.
d. In 1722, New Haven had a police regulation that “No watchman will have the
liberty to sleep”.
e. In 1800, it became a government policy that able-bodied males over 16 years
old were required to serve without pay.
f. 1833 was the advent of daytime police with pay.
g. New York City police began to adopt a full police uniform in 1856.

3. Development of State Police Force in America

a. Texas Rangers were organized in 1835.

“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of not the circumstances.” –
Unknown |
 LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 8

b. In 1865, Massachusetts organized a police force of state constables.

c. The Pennsylvania State Police came into existence in 1905.

4. Development of US Federal Police Force

a. In 1829, Post Office Inspection System began.
b. Investigation on crimes against the government started in 1861.
c. Detective forces were formed sometime in 1868 to investigate problems on
revenue services, immigration and smuggling.
d. In 1895, Federal government attention focused on lotteries, drug regulations
and transportation regulations.
e. Anti-White Slavery Act and Motor Vehicle Act were enacted in 1910.
f. In 1934, National Kidnapping Act, Banking Act, and Racketeering Act were
passed by the United States Congress.

“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of not the circumstances.” –
Unknown |