Section 4.1: Early History Of Policing

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Amalgamation

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The process or result of uniting or consolidating things.

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August Vollmer

Back 2

A police reformer known for his strong support for higher education and professionalism in policing.

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Beat

Back 3

The geographical territory to which a patrol officer is assigned.

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Civil Service

Back 4

A system of government service employment based on merit and examinations rather than on political patronage.

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Code of Hammurabi

Back 5

A set of laws developed by Babylonian King Hammurabi that date back to the 18th century BC; the earliest written legal code known.

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Decentralized

Back 6

Not having a single administrative center.

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Frankpledge System

Back 7

A system of policing used in England during the Early Middle Ages whereby communities were divided into small groups (tithings) that were collectively responsible for the conduct of all members.

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Hue and Cry

Back 8

A calling out to the members of a community in order to collectively pursue a criminal, as was mandated under old English law.

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Hundred

Back 9

A unit of ten tithings (or 100 households) under the old English Frankpledge system.

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Kin Policing

Back 10

An ancient system of law enforcement where law enforcement responsibility was held by all citizens, and everyone was responsible for the conduct of their extended families.

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Magna Carta

Back 11

A charter of liberties that the English Barons forced King John to sign in 1215.

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Mosaic Code

Back 12

The ancient code of laws that, according to the Old Testament, were given by God to Moses.

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Mutual Pledge System

Back 13

Another name for the Frankpledge System.

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Nationalization

Back 14

To bring under the control of a nation, such as the government of the United States.

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O. W. Wilson

Back 15

An influential leader in policing, popularizing the idea of police professionalism that would shape policing in America for decades to come.

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Parish

Back 16

A church based administrative division of territory; corresponds to a county in modern usage.

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Political Era

Back 17

A period during the Nineteenth Century when policing in America's large urban centers was defined by political patronage and graft and corruption were rampant.

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Posse Comitatus

Back 18

A Latin legal phrase meaning the "power of the county;" a group of all able bodied men that the sheriff could summon to give chase to a fugitive.

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Preventive Patrol

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A policing strategy base on the idea that officers in highly visible uniforms and vehicles will deter crime by their mere presence in the community.

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Proactive

Back 20

Controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to an event after it has happened.

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Reactive

Back 21

Acting in response to a situation rather than creating it or controlling it; the opposite of proactive.

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Reform Era

Back 22

A period beginning in the early 1900s when police professionalism became the dominate paradigm of policing in the United States.

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Sheriff

Back 23

The chief law enforcement officer of a county; the office originated in feudal England as the shire-reeve.

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Shire

Back 24

An old english term for a geographical area equivalent to a modern county.

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Shire-reeve

Back 25

An English office during fuedal times that evolved into the modern office of sheriff.

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Tithing

Back 26

A group of ten families under the mutual pledge system.

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Tithingman

Back 27

A man elected to preside over a tithing (a group of ten families) under the mutual pledge system.

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Watch and Ward

Back 28

A policing system used in Medieval English towns where community members were appointed to serve as guards during the day (the ward) and at night (the watch).