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The History of Canadian Policing

“It is difficult to point to one era in history as a defining moment in the creation of organized policing. Instead, there have been a number of events that have contributed to the evolution of the profession. In fact, to even call it a profession was something of an evolution! In the early European context, there was no recognizable system of policing comparable to what we know today. Instead, rulers, like Kings, Queens, or Emperors, defended their power and sovereignty through the use of their militaries, and those who did not comply with the ruler’s decree were met with harsh punishment, including death. Otherwise, the general public was largely left to their own resources for protecting themselves and each other. This is not to say that there was no social control or protection, but it often came from individuals within communities, rather from an organized police force like we know today.

Some of the earliest evolutions of policing started with the tithing system in Europe in the 9th and 10th centuries. Essentially, a tithing was an area of land similar to what we might refer to as a jurisdiction today. Within this area of land, or jurisdiction, the male heads of a household became responsible for the actions of others within the jurisdiction, providing security to others, and dealing with conflict in the community. Eventually, after the Norman conquest of large sections of England, these tithings slowly introduced courts for administering justice, and created Justices of the Peace to resolve disputes between community members. In more serious cases, juries of other town members were called to help make a fair decision regarding a dispute or offence. All of these elements still form different parts of our justice system today.

The next major step in the creation of a professional police force came in 1285, with the Statue of Winchester, also in England. This statute created a code outlining the practices of these very early police forces and outlined the concept of around-the-clock vigilance by a group of men. This system became known as the ‘watch and the ward’, particularly in larger towns. These basic and early ‘police’ practices continued for several centuries with very little change. Jobs in law enforcement became less and less attractive as the industrial revolution began in the 1700’s. It became more and more difficult to find competent people to be a member of the watch and the ward. Quite simply, people could make more money in a factory. Corruption within these early police forces ensued as poorer and poorer people filled these jobs, often abusing their power, taking bribes, assisting with the persecution of innocent people, and participating in a range of other unsavory acts. During this period of time, England, and much of Europe, witnessed massive population growth, particularly in urban centers, as people rushed into cities, abandoning their lives as farmers to work in factories. This massive population growth led to huge spikes in crime, particularly thievery, prostitution, gambling, fighting and violence, and drunkenness. By the early 1800’s, it became clear that a more effective structure for policing was needed, particularly in urban centers with large populations. Further, citizens, employees of factories, and factory owners started demanding reform to improve safety, deal with judicial and police corruption, and the problems associated with an increasing crime rate. This led to the creation of the Metropolitan Police Force in London in 1829, which was the first full-time, paid, professional police agency in the world.” (Cohen, Policing in Canada Module, 2021: 1-2).

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Please watch this brief video on the History of Policing in Canada

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iV7H3NTyCw