Europe Police System

Midterm | Topic 3
 1. The Anglo-Saxon Period (600-
1066)
Periods 2. The Norman Period of
Policing System (1066-1285)
of 3. The Westminster Period of
Policing Policing System (1285-1500)
4. The Modern Policing System
(1500 –early 18th Century)
 Early Policing in England
• Frankpledge System
• Earliest police system in England. Groups of ten families called
“tithings” agreed to uphold the law, maintain order and commit
to court those who had violated the law. Every male above the
age of twelve was required to be part of the system
• Bow Street Runners (London)
• Composed of amateur volunteers whose approach is more of
prevention aspect
• Founded by Henry Fielding (died in 1754) and continued by his
half-brother John Fielding
Anglo-Saxon Period (600-1066 A.D.)

• Tun Policing System – tun (“town”) : They gather all able bodied
male residents to guard their livestock against wild animals and
intruder.
• Hue and Cry: An Ancient Saxon practice that invaders brought to
England. When a person commits a crime or a felon escaped and it
was detected, an alarm was sounded, through the use of the oldest
known warning device, the HORN. As they heard the sound all
residents must help to capture the captives and when found guilty,
punishment follow. Anybody who will not help in the pursuit of the
felon shall be considered as part of the escaping felon and shall also
be punished.
Anglo-Saxon Period
(600-1066 A.D.)
• Royal Judge: The identification of the
criminal was done or started here, and the
punishment must be suited to the crime
that the person committed.
• Trial by Ordeal: The process of inflicting
pain to all suspects purposely to determine
who the real suspect is. It is a belief that if
you are guilty God will not save you and if
you are not guilty God will save you
miraculously regardless of what ordeal.
The Norman Period of
Policing System (1066-1285)
• Shire – Rieve System: “Shire” refers to a District in
England while “rieve” refers to the head of a district
which later change to “sheriff”.
• Rieve was the ruler who makes laws, pass
judgment and impose punishment. He was
assisted by a Constable (forerunner of the word
constabulary). King William of Normandy
divided England into 55 shire or district and
each headed by a rieve.
• The Travelling Judge: Refers to the person
responsible in giving judgment. He travels to pass
any judgment coming from a certain ruler to
another district or shire where the offender resides.
 Leges Henrici
• Offenses were classified against the king and
individual;
• Police became public officials;
The Norman • Police and citizens have the broad power to arrest;
• Grand jury was created to inquire on facts of the
Period of law.
Policing The Magna Carta
System • No freemen shall be taken or imprisoned, disposed
(1066-1285) or outlawed except by legal judgment of his peers;
• No person shall be held for trial for the crime of
murder without the proof of the body of the
victim;
• Beginning of national and local government as well
as national and local legislation.
The French Police System

• During the 17th century in France, King Louis XIV maintained a

small central police organization consisting of some 40
inspectors who, with the help of numerous paid informants,
supplied the government with details about the conduct of
private individuals.
• In Paris, the position OFFICERS DE LA PAIX (peace officer) was
formed in 1791. This was the origin of the term Peace Officers.
• The French were the first to establish uniformed police
officers – they were called SERGENT de VILLE (servant of the
city).
•Contributions of the French in Policing
• Assigning house numbers
•Installing streetlights
•Use of police ambulances
•Use of warrant card and ID signifying the
authority to arrest
LONDON POLICING PRIOR TO 1829
•Henry Fielding = appointed as Magistrate in 1748,
introduced the first detective force, known as the Bow
Street Runners
•Bow Street Runners = a group of men organized by Henry
Fielding and named by his brother John Fielding task to
catch thieves and robbers identified by carrying a Tipstaff
with the Royal Crown
• Made up of eight constables who also investigated crimes
handed over to them by the volunteer constables and
watchmen
•1798 = Marine Police Force was established;
salaried constables were being paid by local
magistrates.
• Initially made up of 220 Constables assisted by
1,000 registered dock workers and was
responsible for preventing the theft of cargo.
• Widely regarded as being the first modern
police force in the world, in the sense that they
were not government controlled and were
responsible for the prevention of crime
 LONDON 1829
Sir Robert Peel = appointed as Home
Secretary in 1822
METROPOLITAN POLICE = organized in 1829
by Sir Robert Peel (Metropolitan Police Act of
1829)
• The largest of the police services that
operate in greater London (the others
include the City of London Police and the
British Transport Police)
• Finest police force around the world.
TOTAL POLICING = motto of London
Metropolitan Police
The Modern Policing
System
• This period came to the limelight when a
bill creating the Scotland Yard
(Metropolitan Police Act) was passed by
the Parliament of England (1829).
• It was sponsored and expanded by SIR
ROBERT PEEL who was made to be the first
head of the police organization.
• He was referred as the “Father of Modern
Policing System” due to his contributions
in the modernization of the police force.
•Administration Policing Principles of
Metropolitan Police Service
• Stable and effective civil police under
government control
• Absence of crime is the best proof of
efficiency
• Fast distribution of crime news to the
police is essential.
•Commissioner = highest rank in the
Metropolitan Police Service
•Police Constable = lowest rank
SWITZERLAND
• In Switzerland, security is
primarily the responsibility of the
cantons.
•  Due to the country’s federal
structure and cantonal
sovereignty in police affairs,
there is no single national police
force in Switzerland: the federal
system and division into three
levels – communal, cantonal and
federal – is also reflected in the
structure of the Swiss police.
Policing System
• Federal Office of Police (FedPol) - works with its international and
cantonal partners as a centre for information,
coordination/cooperation and analysis in matters concerning the
internal security of Switzerland. 
• And it provides vital infrastructures. 
• The heart of policing in Switzerland
• Four Divisions of FedPol:
1. Main Division Federal Criminal Police
2. Main Division Services
3. Main Division Federal Security Service
4. Main Division International Police Cooperation
• Cantonal Police Corps
• 26 Cantons in Switzerland – member states comprising the Swiss Confederation.
• The responsibility for law and order basically lies with the cantons, where the police
have also the function of judicial police and of coordination body in the event of major
disasters. The cantons also mainly determine the structure of their police forces.
• In Italian-speaking cantons, the police are divided into geographical areas
• German-speaking cantons are divided into three:
• Kriminalpolizei – criminal police (similar to the sûreté).
• Schutzpolizei – security police (similar to the gendarmerie).
• Autobahnpolizei – traffic police (highway patrol)
• French-speaking cantons, as well as the canton Ticino, are divided into two:
• Gendarmerie - performs the tasks of police patrol and response, and may conduct
judicial enquiries
• Police de sûreté - , with the latter being the equivalent to the criminal police.
Investigators who work in the Criminal Investigation Department
St. Gallen Cantonal Bern Cantonal Police Zurich Cantonal Police
Police