Discussion on Policing

Policing
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Policing
Before the industrial revolution, individual citizens who wanted to maintain law and order in their communities voluntarily conducted policing (Banton, 2021). This volunteer policing approach worked splendidly until the end of the 1700s and the beginning of the 1800s when the rising population led to more frequent crimes and civil unrest in major cities (Joyce & Laverick, 2021). The rising crime and civil unrest incidents across the cities called for permanent, professional policing, following the criminology experts’ and social scientists’ advocacy for a centralized, well-trained police force (Council, n.d). Sir Robert Peel, the father of modern policing, was a primary figure in this advocacy.
Peel created the Metropolitan Police Services in London in 1829 (Joyce & Laverick, 2021). He earned credit for establishing the three core policing principles, still applicable today. The first principle states that policing prevents crime, not arresting criminals (Banton, 2021). Arrest rates are low in effective police departments due to low crime rates in their communities. The second principle holds that crime prevention requires public support (Banton, 2021). If the community supports and trusts the police, all citizens will participate in crime prevention. The third principle requires the police to respect community principles to gain public support (Banton, 2021).
From the mid-1800s, policing evolved into three stages: political era, professional era, and community policing era (Council, n.d). These periods differ in the sources they obtained their legitimacy, the police department design, the police function definition, and the relationships between the police and the external environment (Council, n.d). The political policing era occurred from the mid-1800s to the 1920s (Council, n.d). During this period, officers represented the local politicians ...