Where Do Cops Come From?

cop leadEric Peters Autos – by Eric

Ever wonder how come there are men (and women) in costumes “policing” the rest of us?

Most people accept this relationship as both given – and eternal. That there have always been men (if not always women)  in costumes “policing” the rest of us. But, in fact, it’s a relatively novel thing. Think back to your schooldays. Do you recall any mention of police when you were learning about the colonial era and the American Revolution? There were sheriffs, yes – and the local militia. But these were concerned mostly with keeping the peace – that is, stepping in when someone harmed someone else. Up to and even during the Civil War – a titanic struggle between the fading remnants of the old republican idea and the centralized, omnipotent state that took its place – the idea of police as we know it was essentially unknown.  

It is a modern concept – one developed out of the company town idea.

You may or may not recall the company town. It is a place – once upon a time, a very real place – in which the company not only employs nearly everyone but also controls nearly everyone. During work hours and – most relevant in terms of the discussion at hand – the rest of the time, too. This is achieved by paying the workers not in specie, but in “script” or tin coinage or some other form of fiat currency issued by the company – and good at the company stores in the company town where all the company workers live. Even the  worker’s homes are company homes. In the company town, everything you did was the company’s business. And to keep it all nicely organized, there were company police.company town pic

Sound familiar?

Examples of these paternalistic – and authoritarian – “communities” include Bournville (see here) founded by Cadbury Chocolate King George Cadbury – which wasgently paternalistic. And also the less gently paternalistic Pullman, Chicago. You may recall the Pullman Railroad strike of 1894 – which got ugly, quickly. The cattle – oops, Pullman workers – had become recalcitrant.

They were more firmly dealt with.

Often, they were dealt with by badged and costumed goons hired by the men who owned the company town. For example, the infamous Pinkertons – “pinks,” as they were once called.pinkerton pic

Shortly after the not-so-Civil War, founder Allan Pinkerton expanded his band of head-crackers into the largest private law enforcementorganization in the world – with more “agents” than there were soldiers in the U.S. Army at the time. Andrew Carnegie and other corporatists used the “pinks” to keep the cattle in line.

But, there was a problem.

The cattle were still free range. They couldleave the company town – or the crowded city – and go somewhere beyond the reach of costumed enforcers. America – even post Civil War – was not yet a consolidated corporate entity. One could still live relatively free. But it was only a temporary reprieve – one based almost entirely on remoteness from the  clutches of the octopus and its costumed enforcers, i.e., the police.

It would not be long before America – the entire continental United-at-gunpoint-States – became one singular, insufferable, inescapable company town. One in which rights no longer existed. Only privileges– which could be rescinded at any time, for any reason. Because now, everyone was “on the clock,” 24-7.

Post not-so-Civil War, the federal leviathan that squatted in DC looked upon the Pinkerton model andsmiled. An army – literally, with military grades as well as military-style uniforms and the military attitude to go with it – was just what was needed to maintain “order” in the biggest company town the world had yet seen.

But, some light cosmetic retouching was in order. It would not do, from the standpoint of public relations, to have private (that is, corporate) law enforcers. These would have to be transformed into public servants and – just like that – Americans fell under the total authority of the police. A standing army ofenforcers from whom there is no escape – and little recourse. Today, most Americans accept, without question, the company town ideal and the enforcers that go along with it. The former distinctions between a private army of goons – and an army of goons styled “public servants” have been effaced. People not only no longer chafe at being ordered around by buzz-cut barking goons – they have been conditioned to revere their tormenters as selfless heroes working ever-so-hard to “protect” them!

The transformation – and consolidation of absolute power – is both astonishing and fearful.

In a company town, one could at least leave – and one could still lawfully defend oneself against an assault by a company goon. Even that is now denied us. To resist in any way – even if the costumed enforcer is acting illegally – is itself illegal.  For example, the courts have ruled that a homeowner may not – legally – use force to defend his home or himself against a costumed enforcer who forces his way into the home, even if the break-in is utterly illegal. We are expected – required – to go limp, roll over,  present our bellies and trust to the good offices of the “officer” that we won’t get kicked.

Or worse.

“Police” have become a class of persons immune from the normal rules of civilized human interaction. Almost a sacred priesthood. And we are expected to play the role of humble supplicant – thanking them for their “service.”  Somewhere, far below, Alan Pinkerton is looking upward – and smiling.

Throw it in the Woods?

http://ericpetersautos.com/2013/05/24/where-do-cops-come-from/

14 thoughts on “Where Do Cops Come From?

  1. The cops in the US are murdering lots of innocent people or people who
    have committed insig crimes but in the UK, so-called terrorists who
    mutilated a pedestrian are shot in the leg. This required a shoot to kill action.
    Somehow these two freaks knew they were not going to be killed.

    1. “Somehow these two freaks knew they were not going to be killed.”

      Actors aren’t killed on the set (usually).

  2. Ya`ll see, the cops are into brutality because they want the public to act out in the same way towards them. In other words if you see a cop alone or a plain clothes cop or off duty cop that they want a bunch of civilans to open up a can of whoop ass on them cops and beat them on/off duty pig to with in a inch of their lives if not to beat them F`ers to death. That is what they want from us people. Remember people that a cop is a cop is a cop, on or off duty, plain clothes or not, a cop is a cop is a damned pig any way you look at it. bottom line.

  3. I wouldn’t want to be one after the system falls apart. People are a vindicive species. I know I am. My revenge is eternal. (Hey ma! I wrote a song about ya! Ever hear, ‘Mama Wa A Psycho Bitch From Hell’?

  4. I can’t say I’m a big fan of authority and emotional pleas are powerful but without setting out some meaningful well reasoned statistics, it is difficult to gauge the cost/benefit of law enforcement.

    I couldn’t find a specific number for innocent victims killed by police in 2012 (or maybe just overlooked it). The number seems to be as high as 3 times the rate for police killed in the line of duty if one accounting is correct (one innocent victim per day). There’s probably a good source if someone wishes to find more of this information.

    Documenting Victims of Police violence
    http://www.innocentdown.org/

    Line of Duty Deaths: 120 in 2012

    Officer Down Memorial Page
    http://www.odmp.org/search/year/2012

    Gandhi was no saint but he is quoted to have said

    “The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles.”

    (Young India, 22 October 1925)”
    ― Mahatma Gandhi

  5. I’m afraid policing isn’t anything new.

    It’s been around since the days of Ancient Egypt.

    A job to spy on your fellow “peasants” guaranteed good pay by the Nobility. …ratting out on your own Social Class.

  6. Part of the problem is that we have far to many police officers. Special “tasks” are then created to justify this excessive manpower. This results in such things as “sobriety check points” where you can be killed for not wearing a seat belt.

    Another problem is the federal government violating states rights by influencing police departments with policies that have been fabricated in corporate think tanks.

  7. Have you figured out why the Dept. of Homeland Security was first on the scene at the Boston Marathon bombing, when it is not their jurisdiction or responsibility, it’s local law & fire. Look at it this way, does the FBI, CIA or Homeland Security cover the Barrett/Jackson Auctions or the Dallas Cowboy football games? Get my drift?? Check out The Act of 1871 & you’ll see why I say the REAL CONSTITUTION IS RIGHT—-LIBERTY IS LIFE

  8. A good number of them come from the military, where they’ve already been desensitized to the murder of innocents. I’m not referring to those such as JD, oldvet, and the other ex-military who post here, of course. They have my utmost respect.

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