The night watch system would prove to be ineffective because many of its “volunteers” slept or drank on duty while also trying to simply evade military service. Many cities would often use “night watch as punishment in itself” (2) until 1833 when Philadelphia instituted the first day watch followed by New York in 1844. However, it wasn’t until the “1830’s when the idea of an organized municipal police department began to emerge” (4) in The United States. “Boston would go ahead and establish the first police force in 1838 followed by New York City in 1845, Albany and Chicago in 1851 and Philadelphia in 1855” (5). In the 1880s almost all major U.S. cities had some capacity of a police …show more content…
Police departments were used more as a tool of political pressure under to control of local politicians. It was common practice for the local political party leader to appoint the police executive responsible for the oversight the department. Police would often times systematically take bribes to allow illegal actives like drinking, gambling and prostitution. Officers would organize professional criminals trading immunity for money or information. Loyal servants to political leaders would often times become police officers and promotions at this time were bought with money rather than earned by merit. At this time in history, police officers were not dignified individuals because they often drank while on patrol as well as protect only certain