Police History

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the Police History lecture, including political era origins, professionalization, and community policing.

Political Model

Era featuring local control with a decentralized/fractured system; primary social control agents include sheriffs/constables, the Watch, slave patrols, private detectives/security, and frontier security forces; citizens are the main agents of social control.

Sheriff/Constable

Local law enforcement officer central to the Political Model.

The Watch

Urban policing predecessor in the Political Era; part of local enforcement.

Slave Patrol

Patrols used to police enslaved people, a policing form during the Political Era.

TX Rangers

Frontier security forces involved in policing and frontier protection.

Citizens as Primary Social Control Agents

Concept that ordinary citizens enforce social norms and security during the Political Era.

English Heritage

Influence on policing from England; emphasizes local control and a decentralized system.

Local Control

Policing authority exercised at the local level rather than centralized.

Decentralized/Fragmented System

A police system with multiple agencies sharing authority and limited centralized coordination.

Mission (England's Elements)

The purpose guiding policing in the English heritage model.

Strategy (England's Elements)

The plan to achieve policing mission.

Organizational Structure (England's Elements)

The arrangement of police organizations and hierarchy.

First Modern-Day Police

Long development toward modern policing in the US, slowed by rural-urban dynamics, fear of a national police, political fights, and funding/taxes.

Lack of Need in Rural Society

Rural areas had little crime demand for formal police, delaying modernization.

Urbanization

Industrial Revolution-driven growth of cities; tied to crime and policing needs.

Fear of a National Police Force

Concern that a centralized national police would erode local autonomy.

Political Fights for Control

Power struggles between state and local authorities over policing control.

Taxes to Pay

Financial costs and funding mechanisms for developing police forces.

LEAA

Law Enforcement Assistance Administration; federal funding for education and training of police.

Kerner Commission

1968 report recommending reforms in policing after civil unrest and racial tensions.

Community Policing (CP)

Philosophy emphasizing citizen partnerships, broad service roles, problem solving, and shared responsibility.

CP Features

Focus on the citizen, increased police–citizen contact, broader role, emphasis on service and problem solving, and de-emphasis of crime fighting.

Chicago Model

Community organizing approach within Community Policing.

Problem-Solving (Goldstein)

CP approach by Goldstein emphasizing systematic identification and solving of underlying problems.

Broken Windows

CP approach advocating aggressive order maintenance to deter major crime by addressing minor disorders.