Term Paper on "Historical Development of Private Security in the United States"

Term Paper 3 pages (1438 words) Sources: 3

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Private Security

Historically the security systems in America had roots in England. Many of the early settlers were English citizens before coming to America and brought the common law strategies with them.

The colonies had sheriffs as the legal authority who could deputize citizens to assist them in enforcing the common law that protected people and property.

There are records that indicate the earliest organized police force began in Detroit and Cincinnati in the early 1800s. The first formal public police force was in England and was started by Sir Robert Peel in 1829 (Ortmeier, 2009).

Parliament was petitioned by Peel about the need for a nationally organized and trained force. The Metropolitan Police Act was ratified by British Parliament in 1829 (Ortmeier, 2009).

In the Americas individual states began to organize police departments first in Boston, then New York City in 1844 (Ortmeier, 2009). Other states soon begin to do the same and by 1864 the Treasury department of the U.S. approved the first federal level bureau to investigate criminal activity. This was followed by policing of borders and the formalization of the Border Patrol by the Department of Justice in 1882.

At that time there was still no localized police force throughout the nation. In the states there remained the sheriff structure throughout the early 1800s. The sheriffs were able to get support from local citizens however, they were not under contract to respond. This caused policing services to lack the support necessary to fully protect citizens. Therefore vigilantes made up of citizens seeking justice or revenge organized themselves and carried out what they felt was justice against offenders. At times this was done without regard for due process (Ortmeier, 2009).

The security service of Wells and Fargo was formed in 1850 by Henry Wells and William Fargo designed to provide protection for transport of cargo on both sides of the Missouri River (. Pinkerton Security was formed by Alan Pinkerton and was the first nationwide service. Pinkerton was also involved in the investigative arm of security services including providing intelligence at the time of the Civil War (Ortmeier, 2009).

Brinks security was established in the late 1850s to provide protection of armored vehicles to transport valuables (Ortmeier, 2009).

After the first and second World Wars the number of private security enforcers increased. This was due to the increase in industrial plants that needed policing and the growth brought on by the industrial revolution.

It was after times of war that many veterans returning home turned to work in the field of security and policing.

Moving forward into the 1950s, the largest privately owned security force was established by a former member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, George Wackenhut.

Following soon after American Society for Industrial Security or ASIS began and has over 30,000 members today (Ortmeier, 2009). This organization provides security services for private and public property, individuals, and proprietary data. ASIS covers the business, industry and government sectors of society (Ortmeier, 2009).

By 1968 several acts came about during the Civil Rights movement. These were the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act along with the National Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice institute, which later became the National Institute of Justice for financing criminal research (Ortmeier, 2009).

Need for More Private Security Services

A recommendation by a research into criminal activity agency called the National Commission on Criminal Justice in 1970. One of the reports that came out of this organization revealed the need for more privatization of security throughout the U.S. The report was the Task Force Report on Private Security from 1976.

Based on the research it was shown that the best determent to crime is to inform communities of preventative measures. At that time many private organizations begin to work alongside the police force and privately in local communities to establish various security patrols.

However it was found that public police and private security did not work well together. In fact they were often antagonistic of one another. The public police force felt that private security was an encroachment on their jurisdiction in the community. While private security felt they were not given enough credit for aiding and assisting the public police force.

The skill level of the private security personnel was called to question by the public police force as… READ MORE

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