POLICING/ law enforcement- functions/
tasks
Supervising and enforcing rules
A serious profession and viewed as one important aspect of every
existing civilization
There is a remarkable historical, geographical and organizational
diversity in policing
POLICE/ law enforcer- “person”
A body of civil authority tasked to:
a. Maintain peace and order
b. Enforce the law
c. Protect lives and properties
d. Ensure public safety
Etymology (origin of the word): “Police”
“Polis”- Old Greek word= city- state
“Politeia”- Greek word= government of the state
“Politia”- Roman word= condition of the state or government
“Police”- French word (later adopted by English Language)= person enforcing the law
“Officer de la Paix”- French word= origin of the word “Police Officer”
EVOLUTION OF POLICING
SYSTEM
PERIOD OF ROMAN EMPIRE
ROMAN VIGILES/ “VIGILES”
Created by Emperor Octavian Augustus/ “Augustus”- Roman 1st Emperor
700 AD
First organized police force
Responsible for firefighting and policing in Ancient Rome
PERIOD OF ROMAN EMPIRE
PRAETORIAN GUARD
Highly elite and selected force created by Emperor “Augustus”
Serve as an imperial army and personal guardian of the emperor
Responsible for the protection of the emperor from assassination
9000 men= 9 cohorts (1000 men each)
Roman Vigiles Praetorian Guard
ANGLO- SAXON PERIOD (700 AD)
TUN POLICING SYSTEM
England
Tun= town
Tithing- group of 10 families
Tithingman- head/ chief of tithing
Reeve- head of 10 Tithings/ 100 families
Tithingman/ Reeve- police authority & judicial function
PERIOD OF ROMAN EMPIRE
HUE AND CRY
Shout to call all male residents to arrest the offender
Horn- is the oldest warning device
• Used to call for reinforcement
ANGLO- SAXON PERIOD (700 AD)
TRIAL BY ORDEAL
A practice of judicial function
Putting a person in an unpleasant situation/ condition to prove his innocence or guilt
Believed: die indicum/ miraculous decision as a basis of guilt/ innocence of the
person
TRIAL BY COMBAT
Duel between the offender and the party of the victim
Winner: basis of guilt/ innocence of the offender
PERIOD OF WILLIAM THE
CONQUEROR
SHIRE- REEVE
King William (Norman) 1066 to 1285 AD
Shires= military areas; England divided into 55 Shires
Reeve= head of every Shire
2 constabuli (keeper of the horse)= assistant of the Reeve
“Constable”= Constabuli
Sheriff”= Shire + Reeve
Has police authority and judicial function
PERIOD OF WILLIAM THE
CONQUEROR
TRAVELING JUDGE/ CIRCUIT JUDGE
Division of police authority and judicial function
a. Traveling judge- judicial function (Henry II- 1 st appointed as traveling
judge)
b. Sheriff- police authority + detention of a person
• Gaol- 1st prison; French term of Jail (1166)
• Headed by a Sheriff
• Temporary detention cell for a person awaiting judgment
PERIOD OF WILLIAM THE
CONQUEROR
LEGIS HENRICI/ LAW OF KING HENRY I (1116 AD)
Offenses against the king and individuals
Retribution= punishment given by the state
Police- public servant
Citizen’s arrest (in flagrante delicto, hot pursuit, fugitives/ escapee)
Elimination of trial by ordeal and changing to Grand Jury System
Grand Jury System- based of facts of the law (evidence)
PERIOD OF WILLIAM THE
CONQUEROR
KING JOHN OF ENGLAND (1215)
Signed the Magna Carta/ “The Great Charter”= symbol of liberty and
idea of democracy
Demand of the Knights of the round table
No trial= no imprisonment
Concept of due process
No case of murder= if no cadaver of the victim
Concept of corpus delicti= “body of the crime”; facts that the crime was
committed
PERIOD OF WILLIAM THE
CONQUEROR
FRANKPLEDGE SYSTEM
England
Group of 10 male residents; 13 years old and above
Required to preserve peace and protect the lives and properties
Modified tithing into frankpledge system
Tithingswere sworn to hold other members of their tithing responsible
for crime
WESMINSTER (WENCHISTER)
PERIOD
STATUTE OF 1285
King Edward I
watch and ward system
ward- daytime
Watch- nighttime; armed with lantern, sword and baton
Drafted eligible males to serve
Institutionalized the hue and cry
Citizens had to maintain weapons in order to answer the call on arms
WESMINSTER PERIOD
STATUTE OF 1295
Curfew hours
Closing the gates of London from dusk to dawn
Surety- the means of passage
WESMINSTER PERIOD
JUSTICE OF PEACE (1361)
3- 4 Men- knowledgeable of the law
Centralizing the administration of justice in England
Lasted at about 75 years
WESMINSTER PERIOD
COURT OF STAR CHAMBER
1st court in England; Westminster
tried the case of treason, false coinage, etc.
Implement the power of forced testimony- 3rd degree interrogation
(torture)- flogging
Abolished on 1641 by Charles I
Legal guarantees of freedom of speech and right against self incrimination
WESMINSTER PERIOD
KEEPERS OF THE PEACE (1195)
King Richard I (the “Lionheart”)
Appointed the Knights to keep the kings peace
Guarding on bridges and gates
Checking the people entering and leaving the cities and town
MERCHANT POLICE
Forerunner of security guard/ watchmen and private detectives
Guarding the private establishments
PAROCHIAL POLICE/ PARISH CONSTABLES
Guard the religious areas and parishes in England
