Evolution of the Police Officer

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Recommended: Development of technology in policing

Police officers serve and protect the people in their community. The earliest police force was established around the 1750’s. Although the first police force in the modern sense came to be over 250 years ago, the purpose they had is the same as today. As with the rest of the world advancing and progressing, the police force has advanced in many ways which have made them a more efficient and capable unit, in order to more fully accomplish their purpose of serving their community. In the next few paragraphs you will learn how training, equipment, work environment and techniques have changed and evolved in the police force.

Firstly, in the past, the training a police officer had to go through in order to be effective at their job was limited to, being able to handle the handguns and rifles and to effectively use the police baton. With the vast technological advances that have occurred, a police officer is now required to be trained in the proper use and function of a variety of new weapons and technologies. Police batons 100 years ago were small straight wooden stick resembling a miniature baseball bat. In the 1970’s it evolved to being thinner, made of metal and having a side handle for defensive purposes. Now many law enforcement agencies use extendable batons, which require more training than the original small wooden stick. Along with the increased training required to use the police baton, law enforcement officers are able to operate newer and more advanced equipment not available in the past, such as Tasers, different types of ammunition for guns, radar and laser speed guns, radios computers and even more sophisticated use of force in order to take down a suspect to name a few. The police force of today is more highly traine...

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...ne Century of Chasing Crime." auto evolution. UTC, 21Oct2009. Web. 03 Mar 2012.

- Richard A. Leo (2008). Police interrogation and American justice. Harvard University Press Cambridge, Massachusetts, and London England pg. 196-236

- Sturman, Shane. "Confrontational vs. Non-confrontational Inerrogation." CFI. 18 Mar 2009: n. page. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. .

- Williamson, T., Milne, B., & Savage, S. (2009). International Developments in Investigative Interviewing. Willan Publishing: Portland.

- Canada. Parks Canada. Rose Fortune. Web.
- Brodie, Jonathon. "London celebrates first Black police officer, Lewis Coray, hired in 1951." Canadian Immigration Report. 29 FEB 2012: n. page. Web. 1 Apr. 2012.

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