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Night Watch in Boston
The City of Boston establishes a "night watch," in which officers served part-time, without pay. -
1st federal law enforcement officer
The United States Congress creates the first Federal law enforcement officer, the United States Marshal. Thirteen U.S. Marshals were appointed by President George Washington. -
Sacrifices made
Sheriff Cornelius Hogeboom of Hudson, New York, was shot as he attempted to serve a writ of ejectment becoming the first known law enforcement officer to be killed in the line of duty. -
the development of policing.
The first professional police force in the UK, funded by local taxation, was set up in Glasgow in 1800. -
First policeman in England
The first professional policemen, in England, known as 'Peelers' or 'Bobbies', were set up in London in 1829 by Robert Peel, the then Home Secretary, after 'The Metropolitan Police Act' of 1829. -
First policeman in London
By September of 1829, the first Metropolitan Police were patrolling the streets of London. There were 17 divisions, which had 4 inspectors and 144 constables each. The force headquarters was Scotland Yard, and it answered to the Home Secretary. -
Municipal Corporation Act of 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act of 1835, allowed Borough Councils to organize a police force but few of them seemed eager to implement the law. -
Texas Rangers
Texas creates what was later to become the Texas Rangers, the oldest statewide law enforcement agency in America. -
Rural constabulary Act
The Rural Constabulary Act of 1839, allowed any of the 54 English Counties to raise and equip a paid police force. The Act permitted JPs to appoint Chief Constables, for the direction of the police in their areas and allowed for one policeman per 1,000 population. -
Slow progression
In the 1840s, there was still a great disparity between different areas of the country with no single style of policing. By 1840, only 108 out of 171 boroughs had police forces. -
Slowly but surely
In 1855, there were still only 12,000 policemen in England and Wales. This was despite the fact that the police force in London was proving effective in reducing crime and increasing detection. -
Weapons finally issued
The City of Baltimore becomes the first police department to issue pistols to their officers. -
Uniforms issued
Police departments in Boston and Chicago issue uniforms to their officers. -
United States Secret Service
On the day he was shot by the assassin John Wilkes Booth, President Abraham Lincoln approves the formation of what is now the United States Secret Service. -
1st African American Killed
Jacksonville, Florida, Officer William Johnson becomes the first African American police officer to be killed in the line of duty. -
1st of many police chiefs to die on the line of duty
Thomas J. Smith, of Abilene, Kansas, becomes the first of more than 585 Police Chiefs to die in the line of duty. -
Wild West most famous gunfight.
Legendary Lawman Wyatt Earp, along with his brothers Virgil and Morgan and John Henry "Doc" Holliday, win the Wild West era's most famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. -
first known female sworn law officer
City Health Dept. Inspector Marie Owens is appointed to the Chicago Police Department as a police officer assigned to the Detective Bureau, becoming the nation’s earliest-known female sworn law enforcement officer. -
First drunk driving arrest
The very first drunk driving arrest was on September 10 of 1897. -
fingerprinting
Fingerprinting is first used in the United States by law enforcement. -
officers killed in line of duty
A total of 1,512 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one death every 63 hours or 151 per year. There were 143 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2016.