Post by 19pct on Nov 25, 2008 11:50:21 GMT -5
As the press and many historians will champion today, on this date 225 years ago, Nov. 25, 1783; General George Washington took command of New York City from the British redcoats at 12 noon, marking the end of the American Revolution.
Things weren't pretty in the city and crime was fairly widespread on that cold and dreary day. Many loyalist houses had been deserted in panic and looting was common. Prostitutes, drunken deserters and much despair permeated the air as the English army departed New York.
What the press, or the department, or even for that matter, John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the New York City Police Museum won't champion is that on this date 225 years ago to the moment at sundown tonight American Law Enforcement was born in New York City.
For you see, up until that very moment, foreign powers - first the Dutch and then the English had responsibility for the policing of the city and maintaining law and order.
And the British army was the last entity charged with the primary responsibility for enforcement of the penal law prior to that historic moment. The redcoats assumed that duty on April 19, 1775 when marshal law was formally declared. It gave the British army overall responsibility for maintaining the entire criminal justice system in New York City – British Army Headquarters for the colonies during the American Revolution.
After England signed the preliminary articles of peace with the United States of America, France and Spain in Paris on January 20, 1783, the Americans knew that provisions would have to be made to enforce the law and maintain order after the British evacuated New York City.
To do this, General George Washington met with Sir Guy Carleton, “General and Commander in Chief, of all His Majesty’s Forces within the Colonies” at Tappan, New York on May 6, 1783. The two came to a formal agreement for the transfer of responsibility for the enforcement of the law, both civil and criminal when the British surrendered the city.
The NYC Watch (American) was established at 51 Water Street at sunset, November 25, 1783 under the authority of the October 23, 1779 New York State Act “ To Provide for the Temporary Government of the Southern Parts of the State Whenever the Enemy Shall Abandon or be Disposed of the Same.”
The first "Captain of the Watch" under American rule was Aaron Gilbert. Gilbert was also the last "Captain of the Watch" under the English when the redcoats controlled the city.
Later as the first “Superintendent” of the Watch”*, Aaron Gilbert submitted the formal proposal for the Watch’s organization and its rules and regulations to police the city to Mayor James Duane and the Common Council on Feb. 24, 1784. The ordinance was approved and the "City Watch" was officially given primary responsibility for maintaining law and order and policing New York City with various other city agencies for the next 62 years until the establishment of New York City’s second 'Municipal Police Department' on August 1, 1845.
It has to be noted here that under English law "magistrates" were responsible for preserving the peace and administering the laws in his majesty’s province of New York.
Very little changed under the American rule of law - the English system or "Napoleonic Rule of Law" basically continued in place. The mayor and two of New York City's aldermen took turns sitting on the court as "police justices." And the watch took its instructions and orders from the court. (Unlike today, there was very little separation between the different branches if government, i.e. the executive, legislative and judicial branches and their responsibilities often overlapped.)
*On Feb. 24, 1784 Aaron Gilbert’s formal rank was “Captain of the Watch”. He was also the first to hold the title of “Captain of Police” in N.Y.C. Later he was appointed New York City’s first “Superintendent of the Watch,” (Equivalent to today’s NYPD rank of “Chief of Department”.) a position he held until the last Monday of the month in October of 1787.
And you won't find his name on any building, plaque or monument or for that matter anywhere in the Police Museum; not even a mention or a footnote at John Jay College of Criminal Justice or the police academy.
And he was the one person most responsible for the beginning of organized policing in New York City, as we know it today.
Michael E.J. Bosak
