Policing

  • Worst time for attitudes towards police is 1877-1888/89

Edmund Henderson (1870-1886)

  • Relaxed police discipline - grow beards, amount of military drill

  • 1877 scandal - ‘Trial of the Detectives’- convinces people to commit crimes -Thomas Titley - pretended to be someone else

  • Series of bombs going off in 1884 & 1885 damaging Houses of Parliament

Sir Charles Warren (1886-1888)

  • Too strict -like army

  • Looked like criticising government

  • Rubbed off Goulston Graffiti

Walking the Beat

  • Carried: truncheons, handcuffs, lantern, and wore helmet

  • 9/8 hour shifts

  • Very predictable - criminals could plan crime around the Beat

Difficulties

Issues

Difficulties it caused

What did police do?

Alcohol/pubs

more vulnerable victims

worsened arguments/abuse

SO, more dangerous

Licensing restrictions

illegal to serve drinks to drunk people

no gambling & illegal boxing

Gangs

Racketeering - threating so they pay for ‘protection’

more likely to pay than to go to police

illegal boxing - Bessarabians

lack of evidence

mainly groups of young men which are worsened by media

Prostitution

increased violence towards women

led to involvement of crime

Brothels made illegal by 1885

but very little otherwise

Violent demonstrations and attacks on Jews

won’t go to police if victim

antisemitism - worsened by media

policed own problems

protests

tried to speak Yiddish - not affective