Читать книгу Police in America - Steven G. Brandl - Страница 50

The sheriff was another important policing figure in early America. The idea of a sheriff was borrowed from the old English system. In England, a shire was the American equivalent of a county; a reeve was an officer who functioned as a constable. A sheriff was the American version of a reeve. Normally, a sheriff was appointed by the governor and worked in a less populated area than a watch did. The primary responsibilities of the sheriff were to apprehend criminals, assist the justice of the peace, collect taxes, and supervise elections. As settlers moved west into the territory of the American Indians, the sheriff continued to have an important role. U.S. marshals employed deputies who also served as sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, or constables.¹¹ In some places, the sheriff could summon a posse, which was a band of armed male citizens, to assist in apprehending criminals and dealing with other violent threats. The Texas Rangers were formed as a militia to defend against Indians.

sheriff: A police figure who typically worked in a less populated area. In early American policing, the primary responsibilities of the sheriff were to apprehend criminals, assist the justice of the peace, collect taxes, and supervise elections.

A Question to Consider 2.2 The Historical Roots of Police–Minority Conflict

Do you think the early history of the police can help explain why there are often tensions and conflict between some people of color and police in the twenty-first century? Explain why or why not.