Читать книгу Police in America - Steven G. Brandl - Страница 45

On October 4, 1855, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Police Department began functioning. William Beck was chosen chief of police by the mayor. His salary was set at $800 a year. Privates were to get $480 a year.

Six policemen were chosen by Beck; they were picked for their size and fighting ability.

To arrest a man in those days, it was nearly always necessary to whip him first. The first policemen in Milwaukee were consistently seen with black eyes, bruised cheeks, and split lips. They earned their $40 a month the hard way. Murders were reduced to practically nothing; thugs quit prowling the streets at night lying in wait for prosperous looking individuals, and citizens began writing letters of praise about the battered and bruised policemen and the fine work they were doing.¹

As described here, formal policing in Milwaukee (and other cities) had very humble beginnings. As we will discuss in this chapter, while some aspects of policing have dramatically changed over time, others have changed very little. In particular, police use of force and the relationship between police and crime control remain central facets of the policing function.

Source: Milwaukee Police Department. 1955. The First One Hundred Years. Milwaukee: City of Milwaukee, p. 3.

Chapter 2 chronicles the history of the police in America. It begins with a discussion of how the police first came to exist and ends with a brief discussion of modern-day policing. The chapter serves as a foundation for the rest of the chapters that focus directly on policing as it is conducted today.