Baltimore Police Department Research Paper

Across the United States police have been involved in not only drugs, but numerous scandals. They are abusing the power that they have been given on a daily basis. Communities have

Female police officers have been saddled with a stigma ever since they were finally allowed to join their fellow male officers on the force in the 1970’s. It is said that when a female officer is being harsh, she is often called anything other than firm. However, when a male officer is harsh, he is considered firm and just being a man. Female police officers are dubbed incapable of being able to perform their duties equivalent or superior to a male officer simply because she is

Starting In 1829, Sir Robert Peel began developing his theory of policing. These nine principles are as relevant today as they were in the 1800's. Peel established the Metropolitan Police when he served as Home Secretary of England. Since Sir Robert Peel introduced his principles of policing in the early 1800's, our country has continued to follow his ideas of effective policing. Community policing is based on Peel's concept of prevention.

“But policewoman’s presence was still not wholly welcome, they were there because chiefs succumbed to pressure from outside reform groups, not because male administrators or officers saw any need for them. Policewomen’s allies remained other male and female social workers, progressives, clubwomen, and other reformers.” (Miller, 1999)

Not more than two years ago, I listened to three minority female officers conversing on the difficulties of being a female officer. Though women have been accepted into police force, it has been a very slow and difficult process. What follows is a brief chronology of their struggle to become assimilated into and become an important part NYC’s “finest” – the N.Y.P.D.

Throughout the last one hundred and fifty years, there has been a history of tension and conflict between the police and minority communities in the United States. In principle, the police exist to enforce the law and protect all citizens regardless of race or ethnic background, yet police departments across the country have been repeatedly accused of targeting and harassing racial minorities, and of failing to root out racist attitudes and practices within their ranks. In recent years, high profile cases such as the beating of Rodney King in Los Angles and the assault on Abner Louima in New York have only served to heighten concerns over the mistreatment of minorities by the police, resulting in widespread calls for major legal and institutional reforms. The recent shootings of Michael Brown, Ezell Ford, Eric Garner, and Terrance Crutcher underscore the danger Black men and boys face when they cross paths with law enforcement officers. In the absence of a coordinated national strategy, state and local police departments have largely been left to develop their own solutions to the problems of policing minority communities and improving cultural sensitivity amongst their officers. Many departments have sought to reform recruitment and selection policies in the hope of attracting greater numbers of minority applicants, while others have instituted diversity training and education programs aimed at improving police understanding of minority cultures and communities. To date, however, these efforts have yielded mixed results. Some departments have achieved notable successes, but on the whole, relations between the police and minority communities across the country remain strained. of cultural diversity and the police.

The Philadelphia Police Department is known to be one of the oldest police departments, dating back to 1854 when it was officially established by state law. The Philadelphia Police Department was initially created to prevent crime and detain criminals. After William Penn received the land known today as the city of Philadelphia, he wanted to assure there would be order within his land and thus appointed a sheriff. Starting as early as 1700, a Philadelphia ‘night watch’ was established to keep a watch throughout the city in order to be aware of any criminal activity going on throughout the night. In the early 1800s due to advancement in both watchmen numbers and payment capabilities, the watch was officially a twenty-four hour watch with hundreds

A police officer is a law enforcement official whose job is to protect and serve the people, not to abuse their power. Due to the fact that the U.S is consisted of many different races and ethnic groups, the ongoing conflict between police officers and citizens of color is at a constant rise. Although policies today no longer directly target those of colors, the policies applied by law enforcements in African-Americans communities are discriminating. Officers sometimes abuse the policies resulting in citizens viewing it as discrimination. By changing the way laws and regulations that unfairly impact Black and Brown communities can improve the justice system (Policy 5).Racial impact has changed the view of the government resulting in more inclusion of people of color in the system. Policies that are not racially excluding anyone of color should be used within police departments to evaluate the impact of different policing.

Leading up to the establishment of the Chicago Police Department, the first rank of “constable” was created in 1830. Authorization of Chicago’s very own police force occurred on January 31, 1835. On August 15, 1835, the Chicago Police Department was born. The department’s mission reads, “The Chicago Police Department, as part of, and empowered by, the community, is committed to protect the lives, property, and rights of all people, to maintain order, and to enforce the law impartially. We will provide quality police service in partnership with other members of the community. To fulfill our mission, we will strive to attain the highest degree of ethical behavior and professional conduct at all times.” Orsemus Morrison was elected Chicago’s first constable; he was assisted by Constables Luther Nichols and John Shrigley. The three men served and protected a population of about 3,200. In the year 1837, the Municipal Court of Chicago was created. It had co-jurisdiction with the Cook County Court within corporate limits of the city of Chicago. Between the years 1838 and 1854, the Chicago P.D consisted of very few collection of officers, constables, and part-time night watchers to maintain the quickly-expanding city.

On May 18, 1935, the New York Age reported that “Negro Cops Get Highest Award.” Each year, the New York City Police Department awards the Medal of Honor award to police officers that demonstrate courageous acts. Out of all the police officers in the city, reports stated, “Of the twenty four medals awarded, of which four were given posthumously—two of the medals went to Negro policemen—Detective John E. Roberts and Patrolman Charles A. Barts.” During the award ceremony, Lewis J. Valentine, the Police Commissioner, recognized the officers’ noteworthy acts. Roberts received reports that three men tried to rob another man with the intent of causing bodily harm. On the scene, the perpetrators fired at Roberts, who was shot three times. Roberts killed one offender and policemen detained the other two while they tried to flee. Bart reported to the scene of a murder. At the crime scene, the murderer attempted shoot Bart, but the officer killed him.

The United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division published a report entitled the “Investigation for the Baltimore City Policy Department” on August 10, 2016, based on suspicions that the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) engages in practices that violate federal anti-discrimination laws, the First Amendment, and Fourth Amendment. According to the report, the Baltimore Police Department is guilty of making stops, searches, and arrests without having probable cause, especially against African Americans. African Americans are also unlawfully subject to uses of excessive force and harsh retaliation by police for constitutionally-protected expression. Furthermore, because the Baltimore Police Department has a multitude of system deficiencies,

The largest component of the criminal justice system is the law enforcement. This section includes police officers, sheriffs, and marshals. The discrimination people of color experience start with these authoritative figures. “Seven in ten blacks said that the blacks in their community were treated less fairly than whites in dealing with police.” (Pew Research Center). The intended role policemen/women play is to protect and serve the citizens they represent. Yet, this study reports 70% of African Americans feel they are unequally treated in their communities by these law enforcers. Stevenson also writes about the statistic concerning African Americans and the police, “I found that

Most of the minorities were first hired in the larger cities, and by 1900 made up 2.7 percent of all watchman. That number declined by 1910 when less than 1 percent of police officers were African-American. During this era, minority police officers were hired exclusively to patrol black areas and were only aloud to arrest other black citizens and actually could only patrol in cars marked 'Colored Police.'; Very few of the African-American officers were ever promoted or given special assignments.

When it comes to race within law enforcement, male police officers still question whether women can handle the dangerous situations and physical confrontations that officers may be confronted with, while it is shown that most police women have easily met the expectations of their superiors. Indeed, studies have found that, in general, male and female officers perform in similar ways. In addition, research has found that most citizens have positive things to say about the work of police women (Worden,

Alice Wells served and still serves as a role model for all women to fight for what you believe in and never give up. If she had not believed in herself, there would not be any policewomen today. Ignoring the issue will lead to nothing but the continuation of this unfairness and discrimination. It is necessary for voices, like that of Alice Stebbins Wells, to be heard in order for something as controversial as women being in the police force to be achieved.