US Police history

Before you read think

- What should be the main functions of police? Do you think that local police function properly?

- What could have been done to let them work more efficiently? Why do people often criticise their work? Is this criticism always fair?

- What do you know about US police forces?

In the colonial period of the USA history, policing was provided by elected sherriffs and local militias. So the history of US Police can be traced since 1626, when the New York City Sheriff's Office was founded. In this period there were also founded some other Sheriff's offices.

In 1789 the US Marshals Service was established, followed by other federal services such as the US Parks Police and US Mint Police (both in 1791).

The first city police services were established in Boston in 1838, New York in 1844, and Philadelphia in 1854.

The US Secret Service was founded in 1865 and was for some time it was the main investigative body for the federal government.

After the civil war, policing became more para-military in character, with the increased use of uniforms and military ranks. Prior to this, sherriff's offices had been non-uniformed organizations without a para-military hierarchy.

In the American Old West, policing was often very poor quality. The Army often provided some policing alongside poorly resourced sheriffs and temporarily organised posses. Public organizations were supplemented by private contractors, notably the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, which was hired by individuals, businessmen, local governments and the federal government. At its height, the Pinkerton Agency's numbers exceeded those of the standing army of the United States.

The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, usually shortened to the Pinkertons, was a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. Pinkerton had become famous when he foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired Pinkerton agents for his personal security during the Civil War. Pinkerton's agents performed services ranging from security guarding to private military contracting work. At its height, the Pinkerton National Detective Agency employed more agents than there were members of the standing army of the United States of America, causing the state of Ohio to outlaw the agency due to fears it could be hired out as a private army or militia.

During the labor unrest of the late 19th century, businessmen hired Pinkerton agents to infiltrate unions, and as guards to keep strikers and suspected unionists out of factories. The most well known such confrontation was the Homestead Strike of 1892, in which Pinkerton agents were called in to enforce the strikebreaking measures. The ensuing conflicts between Pinkerton agents and striking workers led to several deaths on both sides. The Pinkertons were also used as guards in coal, iron, and lumber disputes in Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as the railroad strikes of 1887.

The company now operates as Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations, a division of the Swedish security company Securitas AB, although its government division is still known as Pinkerton Government Services. The organization was pejoratively called the " Pinks" by the outlaws and opponents.

http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkerton_National_Detective_Agency