Political era (policing)

The political era was a period from 1840–1930 in the United States when police officers were appointed by politicians as a political reward, and were used by politicians to maintain their power (e.g. by breaking up labor strikes, suppressing riots in ethnic minority neighborhoods, or harassing political opponents and unpopular elements of society). Police represented the local politicians, who hired and fired them at will, since there was no civil service system. The political era overlapped with the machine politics era of the late 19th century.

Police were decentralized, with officers walking beats on foot, without many means of communication with or direct supervision from their headquarters, other than by the use of a call box to contact the station house. Police performed many social services such as helping run soup kitchens, providing shelter for the homeless, and finding jobs for immigrants.

The political era is associated with police corruption because patrol officers shook down peddlers and small businesses,[1] accepted bribes to not enforce laws, and administered curbside justice based on citizens' political influence, with the result that strangers and ethnic minorities were discriminated against.

History

The political era began with the introduction of police into municipalities in the 1840s, and ended with the commencement of the reform era in the 1930s, when police were professionalized and more oversight and accountability were introduced.[2]

References
  1. History of Policing Community Policing
  2. Debating the Evolution of American Policing US Department of Justice
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