NCJ Number
46463
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 86-97
Date Published
1978
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE ORIGINS OF AUXILIARY POLICE ARE EXAMINED, AND TO BETTER DEFINE THE ROLE OF THE AUXILIARY POLICE PROGRAM IN NEW YORK CITY, THE CONCEPTS OF RANK, STATUS, AND POWER WITHIN THE AUXILIARY FORCE ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
EARLY CAVE DRAWINGS INDICATE THAT PROBABLY THE FIRST PEACEKEEPING AGENTS WERE FAMILY OR CLAN MEMBERS. CAESAR AUGUSTUS ORGANIZED CIVILIANS INTO A SEMIMILITARY FORCE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIREFIGHTING AND POLICING. THE ENGLISH MUTUAL PLEDGE OR TITHING SYSTEM PROVIDED A FORM OF CITIZEN PEACEKEEPING FROM WHICH DEVELOPED A SYSTEM OF CONSTABLES AND SHIRE-REEVES, THE FORERUNNER OF TODAY'S SHERIFFS. VAST URBAN MIGRATION LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MERCHANT POLICE AND DOCK POLICE. FIELDING ORGANIZED THE BOW STREET HORSE AND FOOT PATROL, AND PEEL HELPED IN ESTABLISHING THE METROPOLITAN POLICE FORCE OF LONDON IN 1829. IN 1856 THE MANDATING OF FORCES FOR OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS MARKED THE BEGINNINGS OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM. IN NEW YORK CITY THE CITIZEN WATCHES OF THE 1600S WERE EVENTUALLY REPLACED BY A UNIFORMED FULL-TIME POLICE FORCE IN 1844. RAPID URBAN GROWTH AND ITS ATTENDENT PROBLEMS APPARENTLY MADE A RETURN TO CITIZEN POLICING UNTHINKABLE, UNTIL 1916 WHEN THE WAR AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS LED TO THE RECRUITMENT OF SPECIAL VOLUNTEER PATROLMEN TO SUPPLEMENT THE REGULAR POLICE FORCE. WORLD WAR II AND THE KOREAN CONFLICT ALSO RESULTED IN THE RESURRECTION OF VOLUNTEER FORCES TO SERVE AS CIVIL DEFENSE AUXILIARY POLICE. IN 1967 THE AUXILIARY POLICE WERE PLACED UNDER THE SOLE CONTROL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE OLD OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE WAS ABOLISHED. CITIZEN AUXILIARIES ARE ALSO FOUND IN MISSOURI, CONNECTICUT, GREAT BRITAIN, GERMANY, CUBA, AND RUSSIA. AS IN MOST OTHER POLICE FORCES, THE AUXILIARY FORCE FOLLOWS A PYRAMIDAL AND SEMIMILITARY ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERN. IN GENERAL, RANKS SERVE TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL AS WELL AS ROLE BOUNDARIES. ROLES ARE OFFICIALLY DEFINED BY RANK FROM AUXILIARY COMMANDER DOWN TO PATROLMAN. NO AUXILIARY HAS ANY AUTHORITY OVER REGULAR POLICE. BASED ON PARTICIPANT-OBSERVATION, THE DYNAMICS OF POWER IN THE AUXILIARY FORCE ARE EXAMINED. IN MOST INSTANCES AUXILIARIES ADHERE TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY ARE MAINTAINED. HIGHER ECHELON AUXILIARIES ARE LIMITED IN THEIR SUBSTANTIVE POWER, AND THE REAL POWER TENDS TO BE LOCALIZED AT THE PRECINCT LEVEL. A REGULAR POLICE OFFICER UNDER THE REGULAR POLICE PRECINCT COMMANDER IS ASSIGNED AS A COORDINATOR TO EACH AUXILIARY PRECINCT, WHERE HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING, PROMOTION, ADVICE, AND INSTRUCTION. USUALLY THROUGH TACIT AGREEMENT THESE DUTIES ARE PERFORMED WITH VARYING DEGREES OF AUTHORITY BY BOTH THE POLICE COORDINATOR AND THE AUXILIARY PRECINCT COMMANDER. WHILE AUXILIARY COMMANDERS HAVE A DEGREE OF INTERNAL AUTHORITY, THEIR PUBLIC AUTHORITY IS LIMITED BY RULES REGARDING CITIZEN ARREST AND CITIZEN USE OF FORCE. FURTHER, THE AUXILIARY MAY NOT BE ASSIGNED TO PLAINCLOTHES OR HAZARDOUS DUTY AND IS GENERALLY UNARMED. IN THE EVENT OF CRIME, THE AUXILIARY IS TO SEEK AID FROM THE REGULAR POLICE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT WITH INCREASING POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION AND DEMANDS FOR COMMUNITY CONTROL/INVOLVEMENT, UTILIZATION OF AUXILIARY PATROL FORCES WILL PROBABLY INCREASE. (JAP)