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    Reflection Paper

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    Mwangih Lilian
    This reflection paper discusses a reading on the history of policing in the United States. It summarizes the article's descriptions of early colonial policing systems like the watch and slave patrols. The paper also discusses how the article effectively captured attention by asking and answering questions, such as about the need for police forces in growing 1830s cities. Finally, the reflection notes how the article provided insights into the origins of profiling, discrimination, and brutality in policing.

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    Reflection Paper

    Uploaded by

    Mwangih Lilian
    50 views4 pages
    This reflection paper discusses a reading on the history of policing in the United States. It summarizes the article's descriptions of early colonial policing systems like the watch and slave patrols. The paper also discusses how the article effectively captured attention by asking and answering questions, such as about the need for police forces in growing 1830s cities. Finally, the reflection notes how the article provided insights into the origins of profiling, discrimination, and brutality in policing.

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    Reflection paper

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    This reflection paper discusses a reading on the history of policing in the United States. It summarizes the article's descriptions of early colonial policing systems like the watch and slave patrols. The paper also discusses how the article effectively captured attention by asking and answering questions, such as about the need for police forces in growing 1830s cities. Finally, the reflection notes how the article provided insights into the origins of profiling, discrimination, and brutality in policing.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    50 views4 pages

    Reflection Paper

    Uploaded by

    Mwangih Lilian
    This reflection paper discusses a reading on the history of policing in the United States. It summarizes the article's descriptions of early colonial policing systems like the watch and slave patrols. The paper also discusses how the article effectively captured attention by asking and answering questions, such as about the need for police forces in growing 1830s cities. Finally, the reflection notes how the article provided insights into the origins of profiling, discrimination, and brutality in policing.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 4

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    Reflection Paper

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    Reflection Paper

    The article "The History of Policing in the United States" by Gary Potter was very

    informative. After reading the article, I was able to understand the early policing colonies,

    including the informal and communal form, which was known as the "Watch," and the private –

    for-profit policing, which was also known as "The Big Stick" (Potter, n.d). The article also

    mentioned the three primary functions of the slave patrols, which were: chasing down,

    apprehending, and returning runaway slaves to the owners, providing an organized terror to deter

    any slave revolts, and maintaining a form of discipline among the slave workers.

    One way Potter effectively captures a reader's attention is by asking a question and

    providing its answer. For instance, he asks, "The key question, of course, is what it was about the

    United States in the 1830s that necessitated the development of local, centralized, bureaucratic

    police forces?” (Potter, n.d). After asking this question, he continues to answer the question,

    noting that the cities in the United States were growing hence the need for police forces. He also

    notes that there was a need for an organized system of social control as a way to maintain a

    stable and disciplined workforce and ensuring a safe and tranquil society.

    According to Potter, the developing profit-based production system caused social

    tensions in the community, which led to what the economic elites called "riots," which were

    actually a primitive form of what would be later known as union strikes against employers

    (Potter, n.d). The establishment of modern police forces not only offered an organized,

    centralized body of men legally authorized to apply force to maintain law and order but also

    created the illusion that the order was maintained by the rule of law and was not being executed
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    by the people with economic power. I found this technique of asking a question and providing

    well-discussed answers for the question very informative and attention-capturing.

    The article was also insightful regarding the origin of profiling, discrimination, and

    brutality among police officers. According to the author, there was the belief that crime was

    committed by "dangerous classes," which was composed by biologically inferior, morally

    intemperate, unskilled, and uneducated individuals from the underclass (Potter, n.d). At the same

    time, police were allowed to use force and were notoriously corrupt and brutal. They not only

    organized professional crimes but also drank while in patrol and took bribes. All these

    characteristics are still apparent in the current policing systems.

    To sum up, I enjoyed reading the article. It was not only an informative piece, but also

    engaging. Moreover, it allowed me to critically reflect on the current policing state in the United

    States and compare it to the policing systems in the 1880s.


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    Reference

    Potter, Gary. The History of Policing in the United States. EKU Online.

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