On the surface law enforcement seems effective and organised but there is evidence to suggest otherwise. ‘The local parish constable was generally a part-time officer, following some other trade or occupation, who could, at best, react to requests for his services. There could be no expectation that he would take a proactive role’ (Phillips, D and Storch, R 1999: 4). The local constable being only part time was not fully committed to the role as constable, therefore crimes were being overlooked and the convictions of criminals low. In order to effectively fight the increase in criminal activity there would have to be devoted law enforcement officers, which was clearly not the case before the 1829 Police act. ‘He had some familiar criticisms- constables were unreliable and corrupt, watchmen and patrols were unfit, and police authority too disjointed across London’ (Reynolds, E 1998: 90). From this assertion by Reynolds it is clear that law enforcement was in need of serious reform. Corrupt constables were seemingly common this was mainly due to the lack of a professional paid force. These claims highlight the need for a professional police force and could perhaps be the reason Peel established the metropolitan police force.
Before the metropolitan police force was established in 1829, the ‘force’ was seen to be inadequate and were generally known to handle cases ineffectively. ‘The old police system, generally dependant on part-time constables and watchmen was being condemned as inadequate in the metropolis well before the close of the eighteenth century’ (Emsley, C 1996: 216). Lack of a paid police force impacted on the job, many constables were more interested in selling goods obtained from thieves and making money rather than the prosecution of criminals.
The constables were not overly interested in catching criminals altogether a good example of this is the case of Rebecca cutler. ‘Rebecca cutler missed her shawl in a pub: she went in search of the man she suspected of stealing it, found him in another pub , and then sent for the local constable , who found the shawl hidden inside his hat’ (Phillips, D and Storch, R 1999: 3). This case shows how ineffective the constables were, for Rebecca searching for the shawl herself was more productive than finding a constable straight away, indicating that the constables are not reliable or efficient. The constables ineffectiveness due to lack of a wage could perhaps be a key contributing factor to the establishment of the metropolitan police force.
During the reign of Queen Victoria, (1837 - 1901), the population of England had doubled this along with the Industrial Revolution put new pressures on society. Which then caused an increase in crime rates. The problem of where to house these criminals became increasingly difficult, since 1868 the transportation of convicts to Australia had been abolished. This was due to increasing opposition (Melosi, M 2005: 6-7). Growing crime rates increased the part-time constables work load and sent society into chaos. This issue highlights reason for the establishment of the metropolitan police force, clearly criminal activity was rife and out of control and was in need serious reform.
‘Peel believed that one contributing factor to London’s severe problems was poorly trained, undermanned, and over worked police personnel. Peel also believed that if any crime control was to work, it would require both the backing of a strong body of Law and the support and respect of the public’ (Berg, B 1999: 27). Peel saw that London had serious issues with the police force and fought to change the system that society could rely upon. Sir Robert Peel the Home Secretary eventually managed to pursude Parliament of the importance of a new police force for London so that rampant crime and disorder could be controlled. On the 19th June 1829 parliament passed The Metropolitan Police Act which came into force. The act 'made criminal offences of 'kite flying', knocking at doors without reasonable excuse' and 'hoop-rolling (The Metropolitan Police Act (1829: S.54), cited in, Mckenzie, I (1998).
The era between 1674 and 1913 witnessed a major transformation of policing in London from a system that relied on volunteers and part-time constables, through the development of salaried officials and semi-official "thief-takers", to a modern professional police force. (Emsley, C , Hitchcock, T and Shoemaker, R 2011). Thief-takers used their knowledge of the criminal underworld to profit from both types of rewards. They negotiated between thieves and the victims of thefts to return stolen goods in exchange for a fee (Emsley, C , Hitchcock, T and Shoemaker, R 2011).‘Thief-takers acquired an unsavoury reputation as theif makers, unscrupulous individuals who encouraged people to steal and then profited from collecting the rewards for their conviction’ (Shoemaker, R 2004: 39).
‘Many thief-takers were themselves criminals…the system actually created more crime than it suppressed’ (Dempsey, J 2010: 5).This discussion from Emsley, Shoemaker and Dempsey are helpful when trying to understand the establishment of the ‘new police’ in 1829. Clearly the fact the majority of thief takers were criminals themselves shows how severe the corruption if the legal system was. If the legal system was (as we are led to believe) highly unsuccessful, then it is more than likely the main reason for the establishment of a ‘new police’ force.
‘When Henry Fielding became chief magistrate of Bow street in 1748’(Berg, B 1999: 26). ‘He pursuded half a dozen former parish constables to put themselves under his command as a genuine theif-taker’ (McLynn, F 1989: 32). When a crime was reported, they were sent out by the magistrates apprehend and arrest the culprit. These men became known as the “Bow Street Runners”, though the men themselves preferred their official title of “Principal Officer” of Bow Street. These individuals acquired considerable reputations. They also like the theif-takers made a comfortable living out of the fees they charged for their services, the rewards they received from victims plus the rewards from the state for successful convictions. (Armitage, G 1932: 123-176).
This idea of incentives to pursue law enforcement in theory would allow for increased efficiency and reliability. Although it partially improved the policing system it clearly was not enough if the establishment of a ‘new police’ force was necessary in 1829. Knowing that the bow street runners still obtained fees from victims and successful convictions, means that corruption was not completely eradicated and that potentially they could even go as far as planting evidence in order to secure convictions and reap the rewards. This understanding of the bow street runners highlights a good explanation for the establishment of the ‘new police’ force and could very well be the main reason for reform.
The poor law had profound impact on English society between the 1600's and the 1800's. Designed to reform the poor as much as to relieve poverty, it played a central role in English social and political development (Slack, P 1990: 80). ‘The fear of vagrancy built upon the concern felt by the rural gentry arising from opposition to the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act and encouraged them to accept a reformed policing system’ (Rawlings, (2002), cited in, Joyce, P 2009: 11). The poor law had a considerable impact on policing it basically, ‘encouraged officials to take a more compassionate attitude towards those unable to fend for themselves’ (Bagley, J and Bagley, A 1968: 10). Perhaps the reason Peel established the metropolitan police force was due to the original poor law of 1601.
In conclusion, it is apparent that there are several contributing factors, which highlights the establishment of the metropolitan police force 1829. Before peel introduced the Metropolitan Police Act the law enforcement system was largely in need of reform. Until 1829 and unprofessional force of constables were in charge of law and order. One main problem with the constables was their lack of efficiency when capturing criminals. Being a constable was a full time job but the majority had others jobs because the role of constable was unpaid, leading to inefficient and unreliable officers. The police force before 1829 comprised of elderly members of the community who were susceptible to bribes and other forms of corruption, like accepting financial rewards or turning a blind eye on future indiscretions. Magistrates and lawyers all had their 'hand in the pot'. Partly explaining why it seemed that burglars and other thieves had little difficulty in escaping justice (Symons, J 1985: 40-50). This sever corruption is probably the most influential reason when explaining how the Metropolitan police force was established in 1829.
In 1829 the Home Secretary Robert Peel developed what was a crude but partially effective police force. Robert Peel was so influential to modern day policing that officers are still being referred to as "bobbies" (in England) or "Peelers" (in Ireland) (Garg, A 2005: 54). All the evidences surgests that there is no one reason for the establishment of the police force but rather a combination of contributing factors. ‘The process as a whole was a consequence of what has been described as a growing demand or order in civil society’ (Silver (1967), cited in, Porta, D and Reiter, H 1998: 37).
Biblography
Armitage, G (1932). The history of the Bow street runners, 1729-1829. l: Wishart. Pp123-176.
Bagley, J and Bagley, A (1968). The English Poor Law. London: Macmillan. P10.
Berg, B (1999). Policing in Modern Society. USA: Gulf Professional Publishing. Pp26-27.
Dempsey, J (2010). Introduction to Private Security. USA: Cengage Learning. P5.
Emsley, C (1996). Crime and society in England, 1750-1900. 2nd ed. New York: Longman Group. P216.
Emsley, C , Hitchcock, T and Shoemaker, R (2011). "Crime and Justice - Policing in London", Old Bailey Proceedings Online Available: http://www.oldbaileyonline.org. Last accessed 20 November 2011.
Garg, A (2005). Another word a day: an all-new romp through some of the most unusual and intriguing words in English. Canada: John Wiley and Sons. P54.
George F. E. Rudé (1956). The Gordon Riots: a Study of the Rioters and their Victims. Transactions of the Royal Historical Society (Fifth Series), 6 , Pp 93-114 doi:10.2307/3678842
Joyce, P (2009). Policing: Development and Contemporary Practice. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. P11.
Mckenzie, I (1998). Law, Police and Justice in England and Wales . USA: Greenwood publishing group. P56.
McLynn, F (1989). Crime and punishment in eighteenth-century England. London: Routledge. P32.
Melosi, M (2005). Garbage in the cities: refuse, reform, and the environment. USA: University of Pittsburgh Pre. Pp6-7.
Shoemaker, R (2004). The London mob: violence and disorder in eighteenth-century England. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. P39.
Slack, P (1990). The English poor law, 1531-1782. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. P80.
Symons, J (1985). Bloody murder: from the detective story to the crime novel : a history. Unknown: Viking. Pp40-50.
The Metropolitan Police. (2011). History of the Metropolitan Police. Available: http://www.met.police.uk/history/timeline1829-1849.htm. Last accessed 19th Nov 2011.
Phillips, D and Storch, R (1999). Policing Provincial England, 1829-1856: The politics of reform. New York: Leicester University press . Pp3-4.
Porta, D and Reiter, H (1998). Policing protest: the control of mass demonstrations in Western democracies. USA: U of Minnesota Press. P37.