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3000 BCE
Early Origins
Egypt - 3000 BC: The first known policing organization that was created in Ancient Egypt. The officers were appointed by the pharaoh. -
First Western Policing Organization
1631 - Boston, USA: The first organized police force in colonial North America was established as watchmen in Boston -
Early Formation of Police Forces
1829 - London, UK: The Metropolitan Police Service, often considered the first modern police force, was established by Sir Robert Peel -
First Publicly Funded Police
1838 - Boston, USA: The first publicly funded, organized police force with full-time officers was created in Boston -
Major Reform in Law Enforcement in Early 1900's
1930s - 1960s - USA: The Reform Era, which focused on professionalizing police forces and reducing political influence, took hold -
Mapp vs. Ohio
The U.S. Supreme Court applied the "exclusionary rule" to the states, meaning evidence obtained illegally could not be used in court -
Miranda vs. Arizona
Established the requirement for police to inform suspects of their rights (Miranda Rights) before questioning -
Civil Rights Era
1960s - Civil Rights Movement: This movement led to significant changes in policing policies, particularly in addressing racial discrimination and improving community relations -
Graham vs. Connor
Set the "objective reasonableness" standard for evaluating police -
New Technology
Introduction of Body Cameras: Police departments began adopting body-worn cameras to increase transparency and accountability -
Modern Day Era of Police Officers
2010s - Predictive Policing: The use of AI and data analytics to predict crime hotspots and allocate resources more effectively -
Impact of George Floyd
2020 - George Floyd Protests: Nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism led to calls for police reform and defunding