Editing Law enforcement (section)

== History ==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2022}}
{{See also|Police#History|History of criminal justice}}
[[File:TorontoPolice19thCentury.jpg|thumb|[[Toronto Police Service]] officers in 1883|248x248px]]

Law enforcement organizations existed in ancient times, such as prefects in [[History of China|ancient China]], ''paqūdus'' in [[Babylonia]], ''curaca'' in the [[Inca Empire]], ''[[vigiles]]'' in the [[Roman Empire]], and [[Medjay]] in [[ancient Egypt]]. Who law enforcers were and reported to depended on the civilization and often changed over time, but they were typically [[Slavery| enslaved people]], [[Soldier|soldiers]], officers of a [[judge]], or hired by settlements and households. Aside from their duties to enforce laws, many ancient law enforcers also served as [[Slave catcher|slave catchers]], [[Firefighter|firefighters]], [[Watchman (law enforcement)|watchmen]], [[City guard|city guards]], and [[Bodyguard|bodyguards]].

By the [[Post-classical history|post-classical period]] and the [[Middle Ages]], forces such as the [[Santa Hermandad|Santa Hermandades]], the [[Shurta|s''hurta'']], and the ''[[Maréchaussée]]'' provided services ranging from law enforcement and personal protection to customs enforcement and waste collection. In [[England]], a complex law enforcement system emerged, where [[Tithing|tithings]], groups of ten families, were responsible for ensuring good behavior and apprehending criminals; groups of ten tithings ("hundreds") were overseen by a [[Reeve (England)|reeve]]; hundreds were governed by administrative divisions known as [[Shire|shires]]; and shires were overseen by [[Sheriff|shire-reeves]]. In [[History of Japan|feudal Japan]], [[samurai]] were responsible for enforcing laws.

The concept of police as the primary law enforcement organization originated in Europe in the [[early modern period]]; the first statutory police force was the [[High Constables of Edinburgh]] in 1611, while the first organized police force was the [[Paris]] ''lieutenant général de police'' in 1667. Until the 18th century, law enforcement in England was mostly the responsibility of private citizens and [[Thief-taker|thief-takers]], albeit also including constables and watchmen. This system gradually shifted to government control following the 1749 establishment of the [[London]] [[Bow Street Runners]], the first formal police force in Britain. In 1800, [[Napoleon]] reorganized French law enforcement to form the [[Paris Police Prefecture]]; the British government passed the [[Glasgow Police Act 1800|Glasgow Police Act]], establishing the [[City of Glasgow Police]]; and the [[Thames River Police]] was formed in England to combat theft on the [[River Thames]]. In September 1829, [[Robert Peel]] merged the Bow Street Runners and the Thames River Police to form the [[Metropolitan Police]]. The title of the "first modern police force" has still been claimed by the modern successors to these organizations.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Staff |first=Home |title=Metropolitan Police's proud boast sets off police alarm in Glasgow |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/scotland-travel/glasgow/metropolitan-polices-proud-boast-sets-off-police-alarm-in-glasgow-778vg9pfw93 |access-date=2022-10-26 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-05-06 |title=Bicentenaire : theme_expo4 |url=http://www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr/documentation/bicentenaire/theme_expo4.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506215949/http://www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr/documentation/bicentenaire/theme_expo4.htm |archive-date=2008-05-06  |access-date=2022-10-26 }}</ref>

Following [[European colonization of the Americas]], the first law enforcement agencies in the [[Thirteen Colonies]] were the [[New York City Sheriff's Office|New York Sheriff's Office]] and the [[Albany County, New York#Law enforcement|Albany County Sheriff's Department]], both formed in the 1660s in the [[Province of New York]]. The [[Province of Carolina]] established slave-catcher patrols in the 1700s, and by 1785, the [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]] Guard and Watch was reported to have the duties and organization of a modern police force. The first [[municipal police]] department in the [[United States]] was the [[Philadelphia Police Department]], while the first American [[state police]], [[Federal police|federal law enforcement agency]] was the [[United States Marshals Service]], both formed in 1789. In the [[American frontier]], law enforcement was the responsibility of [[county sheriff]]s, [[Ranger (disambiguation)#Law enforcement/paramilitary|rangers]], [[constables]], and [[marshals]]. The first law enforcement agency in [[Canada]] was the [[Royal Newfoundland Constabulary]], established in 1729, while the first Canadian national law enforcement agency was the [[Dominion Police]], established in 1868.[[File:Polisi patroli.jpg|thumb|[[Indonesian National Police]] officers conducting a foot patrol]] By the 19th century, improvements in technology, greater global connections, and changes in the sociopolitical order led to the establishment of police forces worldwide. National, regional, and municipal civilian law enforcement agencies exist in practically all countries; to promote their international cooperation, the [[Interpol|International Criminal Police Organization]], also known as Interpol, was formed in September 1923. Technology has made an immense impact on law enforcement, leading to the development and regular use of [[police car|police cars]], [[police radio]] systems, [[police aviation]], [[Police tactical unit|police tactical units]], and [[police body camera|police body cameras]].