Policing Timeline by Williams, Miles

Mid-1600's

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 21:40:17 UTC

The Boston Watch.

This was essentially a neighborhood watch group.

they also had informal militias formed to help enforce order throughout the colonies.

1830's-1865

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 21:40:34 UTC

Slave Patrols were some of the first police forces in America. created in order to control the already enslaved Black people. By law almost all white men were required to serve in these patrols, specifically between the ages 21 to 45.

1865; late 1860's/1870's

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 21:52:10 UTC

Black codes. In the South, after losing the Civil War and disbanding the Confederacy, lawmakers began passing laws that took advantage of a loophole in the 13th Amendment.

prisons, prison farms.

1866- KKK was formed.

Jim Crow

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 21:55:15 UTC

Jim Crow Laws

The KKK was 'crushed' and the 14th and 15th amendments were added to the constitution. Jim crow laws were made in the south to once again control black citizens.

Early 20th century;

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 21:56:55 UTC

The KKK emerges again in the South, pushing many black citizens to flee to northern cities.

these northern cities had been developing their own police forces since the mid-1800's.

1829/late 1840's

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 22:00:22 UTC

1829- British parliament passed the Metropolitan Police Act, effectively creating the first modern police force.

late 1840's- Northern states had been forming their own modern police forces similar to the ones policing London.

1894

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 22:03:26 UTC

The first police brutality commission, was the first major investigation of police violence. its found that these northern police forces are beating people much like the slave patrols in the south were.

1900's (during WW1 and after veterans return)

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 22:08:10 UTC

black populations were practically doubling in northern communities and segregation laws were being enforced. police forces would side with white families when they were upset and attacked a black family just for moving into the community. African Americans had no police protection.

1917, 1919

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 22:11:05 UTC

Race riots

the first major race riot happened in East St. Louis, and then Philadelphia had one. Then there was a big one in Chicago.

Race riots were mobs of angry white people attacking black people, black people begging for help from the police, and police refusing to help them.

1920's

cwilliams76_1 — 2024-02-05 22:13:31 UTC

Stop-and-Frisk policing.

People (primarily black citizens) were being subjected to stop-and-frisks and they were getting arrested on charges that were not crimes. they were being arrested for simply "looking suspicious"