One of the reasons I like NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton is that he is prone to quoting Robert Peel, the man who invented police as we know them back in 1829 London. Bratton has reprinted “Peel’s” principles online. Those nine principles are an excellent philosophical base for policing, they’re just not Robert Peel’s. And now…
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Seen at a thrift store in Silver City, New Mexico.
…at least at first. David Durk died last month. And I didn’t even know it. That really would have pissed him off. (My excuse for missing the obits was that I was en-route to a conference in Chicago. Here’s one. And another. And a third.) Let me take you back a bit. In October, 2009,…
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In his autobiography Benjamin Franklin wrote: On the whole, I proposed as a more effectual watch, the hiring of proper men to serve constantly in the at business; and as a more equitable way of supporting the charge the levying a tax than should be proportion’d to the property…. It paved the way for the…
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Courtesy of Shorpy. [This one is for you, Smokey]
Failure to Obey, old school. The Commissioners direct, that in future the Inspectors on Duty shall not take into custody any person brought in by a Police Constable on the vague charge of “obstructingthe Constable in the execution of his duty.” If such a charge is to be made, it must be accompanied by a…
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Retired Baltimore Police Officer and amateur historian William Hackley passed away. Were it not for Officer Hackley, so much of the history of the BPD would be lost to time. I never met him, though I think I contributed a few pictures to his website. Give it a look (and get ready for some old-school…
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When I was a cop, we got a memo stating the mayor’s young daughter thought we had a dirty parking lot. The best response (from Gotti, naturally) implied something that would definitely be illegal, even withconsent. Reminds me of this: The Superintendents will take the greatest care that nothing is permitted, either by noise at…
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In issuing to the Police Force the new badge to be worn when the men are on Duty, the Superintendents will fully explain that the object in view is to prevent the constant complaints that would be made by the public on seeing those of the Police Force who are not on Duty walking or…
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From the Holland tunnel in NYC. The picture from the story in the New York Times.