User:Rizealand/Sandbox3

History

Origin

During the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century, policing in Lothicania was disorganized, operated on a volunteer basis, and controlled by local authorities. In cities and towns, appointed constables were responsible for law enforcement and, depending on the city or town's size, overseeing a night watch composed of volunteers. In counties, marshals appointed by the governor were responsible for law enforcement in rural areas in addition to other duties that included enforcing court judgments and collecting taxes. While this system of policing worked for Lothicania's rural areas and small towns, it began to prove inadequate as the urban areas of Liberty City and Marymore rapidly increased in population. On November 25, 1845, the Lothicania State Assembly passed the Municipal Policing Act which authorized individual cities and towns to form their own police forces. In the following years, most of Lothicania's major cities formed municipal police forces.

In 1867, a National Republican-controlled State Assembly began to investigate alleged rampant corruption in Liberty City's municipal police department. After a special investigative committee led by state assemblyman Sheldon Rickmore concluded municipal police departments had been overrun and weaponized by local Democrat political machines, the State Assembly passed the Police Regulation Act of 1867. Through the Police Regulation Act, the State Assembly abolished municipal police forces and established the Lothicania Police Force. Authority over the Lothicania Police Force was given to a five-member board of commissioners that was appointed by the governor.

Although most cities and towns voluntarily disbanded their municipal police departments and recognized the authority of the Lothicania Police, the Democrat-controlled government of Liberty City led by Mayor Henry Lane refused to accept the police reforms which they viewed as a power grab by state's National Republican leadership. When Mayor Lane refused to disband Liberty City's municipal police and vacate their police headquarters, the board of commissioners for the Lothicania Police obtained an injunction ordering Mayor Lane to do so. After Mayor Lane refused to comply, he was charged with contempt and a warrant was issued for his arrest. However, when the Lothicania Police sent officers to Liberty City Hall to arrest Mayor Lane, they were opposed by municipal police officers in what became known as the Liberty City Police riot. While the municipal police were initially successful in opposing the Lothicania Police, their resistance was crushed when the Lothicania State Militia intervened under Governor Arthur Graham's orders.

-Organization under first superintendent of police, divided into commands organized by county with large counties being divided into districts

-Early struggles with maintaining order, note different major riots including between rival gangs and the unemployed which often resulted in the State Militia having to be deployed

-Early cases of police brutality covered by newspapers, including beating of drunk or disorderly suspects in predominantly immigrant neighborhoods

-In 1890s, newly appointed police commissioner seeks to establish reforms but is unable to do so, convinces governor and state assembly to dissolve board of commissioners and replace with sole commissioner, civil service reforms also imposed, and police commissioner undertakes efforts to modernize the police force, including implementing new police units, use of firearms, and investigative techniques

-In early 1900s, additional innovations in policing (cars, fingerprinting, mugshots) and new hires (first black police officers and use of undercover women officers), also focus on cracking down on vice

-In 1960s=1970s, issues with unrest due to anti-war protests, counterculture movements, and civil rights protests, widespread corruption in certain commands investigated and reforms institute like the Knapp Commission, also widespread issues with crime due to spikes in murder rates and drug sales

-In 2003/2004/2006, police response to terrorist attacks on world trade center

-Modern police issues including police brutality cases, policing reforms (body cameras, civilian review, bans on certain policing tactics, bans on certain drug possession arrests), major investigations of police, and attacks on police