U.S. Police
To control and monitor the black people and their movement the early police forces were established in America, they were called as ‘slave patrols’. The slave patrol’s most intriguing aspect was their design of functioning, which was very explicit; irrespective f the economic background they empowered the white population. Under the law a person between the age group of 20 to 40 was made to work as slave patroller with a pay of 25 cents an hour and if anyone resisted or failed to perform the duties they were fined $5 to $10 by law. The fine for not performing the duties was higher and therefore it seems that the people must have opted to work as slave patrols to avoid any penalty charges. According to the law the black people were required to carry a pass from their owners describing the tasks they were assigned and were doing for the owner or they were subjected to punishment or sometimes shot at sight, especially the black people who were seen or spotted in the woods with fire in their hands. (Smith, 2020). The slave patrols were allotted the power to shoot any slave who tried to run away, if any slave was found in the woods a punishment not exceeding 30 stripes was to be administered. The slave patrols had their duties to be performed written down for them by law that clearly stated their power to act in discretion in case they encountered any discrepancy from the black people. The slaves were tortured by these slave patrols irrespective of the fault of the slave or irrespective of the economic background of the white administering the punishment. The slave patrols monitored every movement of the slaves and moved around with a captain on a horseback. The captain was also accompanied by the slave patrollers and dogs. If anyone tried to run away the dogs were released who were trained to attack the runner, and it was impossible to out run the dogs for the slaves (Abdelfatah, 2020). There are many stories about people who were subjected to many brutalities at the hands of the slave patrollers. One slave who saw the patrollers and got scared and ran was caught by the slave patrollers who first released the dogs at him and when the dogs attacked the slave and bit him the slave patrollers punished him further by stripping him 30 times (Smith, 2020).
The northern police department in America was originally established to control and monitor the city life. The police maintained a strong visibility by patrolling the streets emphasizing on crime prevention and controlling the communities. They maintained their militaristic structure with their uniforms, discipline, and code of conduct (Abdelfatah, 2020). The police in the north faced and dealt with the great migration of black people from the south with contempt and hostility as did their white communities and peers did. The black people who travelled to north was not accepted as part of the community and many restrictions were placed on them in terms of their movement and their behavior as well. The migration occurred due the brutality faced by the black people in the southern America under the hands of KKK. In the south after 1839’s 14th amendment act that abolished slavery the KKK rose to power. Like slave patrollers the KKK were brutal towards the black people and acted as militia.
The KKK was later subdued by police force of the north. But this did not remain the same because in 1874 the local militia regained power. The number of black people in the north increased and their expectations of being treated equally were not met with. The white community’s’ maintained residential segregation and the police helped them. Buying homes anywhere the black people pleased was not an option as they were not allowed to do so and if they dared they were imperiled with violence. If a white person harassed a black person the black person was arrested by the police and harassed further. The police avoided protecting the black people in case of any violence they were subjected too. In case of the 1917’s riots the police refused to help the African-American’s. Being threatened the black people resorted to self-defense and started to arm, the police instead of protecting them arrested the black victims and disarmed and arrested the ones who were arming to protect their lives. By refusing to act evenhandedly thus, the police created a division of white ethnic group and black ethnic group (P.L.Reichel, 1988).
One of the biggest reasons for the great migration was the rise of the KKK and their brutality. The brutality administered by this militia group against the slaves was very demeaning and therefore to put an end to their brutality the northern states used force to recapture the southern states and take control. The passing of the 14th amendment act recognized freedom for all and banned slavery all over America and the 15th amendment act upheld the rights of the black people. Much legislation was passed by the reconstruction government in favor of the black people and they tried to protect the black people from brutality too. But as the power returned to the militia in 1874 the black people were no longer safe and faced atrocities at the hands of the white southerners. The end of reconstruction government new laws and legislations were passed that criminalized black life. The southern states identified a loop hole in the amendments passed that banned slavery. The law though banned the slavery in America it clearly stated that anyone forced labor is permissible if administered through punishment by law for a crime. The police started to arrest he black people under various offences and this was done to continue slavery. The convict leasing by the police in the south was looked upon as a just means to earn revenues but with time the historians have started to see it as ‘slavery by another name.’ After emancipation the African-Americans dreamt to live freely but their hopes were shattered when the southern states continued and accelerated their historical Convict leasing. Historically the state handed over the convicts to the private industries on the bond that the convicts cost of boarding was bared by the industry in return of their labor. With time this act was given uplift and the states started to lease the convicts to the industries in return of monetary advantage. The Black people were arrested for petty issues like speaking loudly in presence of a white lady, or selling goods and services after dark. The black people were arrested and then leased out to private industries to work as laborers. The private companies paid higher amounts for strongest convict and the ones with the largest sentences; therefore the police arrested the strong young men and convicted them for longer periods of time, allowing them to generate higher revenues for the states. The state of Alabama in its first year of leasing in 1874 earned $14000 and generated revenue of $164000 roughly amounting to 4.1 million dollars currently in the year 1890. The southern states starting with the state of Alabama encouraged convict leasing to generate revenues. It was stated by John T. Miller that if a southern man knowing how to manage a black slave is put in charge then the black people can be very profitable and they can be used in the iron ore mines for mining. The convicts were then used in iron ore mines and treated very inhumanly. Their living conditions were very inhuman and they were forced to work without proper equipment or protection or medical support. They were not permitted to rest and nor did they received proper diet. There are numerous stories pertaining to the brutality that has been faced by the black people in America. It would not be wrong to comment that the southern states developed and prospered at the expense of the black people who were convicted illegally and made to serve in the mines under inhuman conditions. Many black people died there and never got the chance to get out of this forced labor. There are many untold stories and many are told by the relatives of the people who were wrongfully convicted. (Truth and Edutainment, 2016).
With time the role of police has changed drastically and all its acts are not unlawful. There are times when the role of police in the history of America is undermined, but the history where there was no justice has changed radically. These untold stories of brutality still haunts the southern states and though it cannot be changed there are possibilities were brutality at the hands of the police can be curtailed. Historically the role of the police in America is not fair and just as much has changed it can be expected that the people are free, can fight for their rights and the police of America would support them by performing their duties judiciously and upholding the constitution of America.
Bibliography
Abdelfatah, R. (2020, June 4). American Police: Throughline. Retrieved June 18, 2020, from NPR.org: https://www.npr.org/2020/06/03/869046127/american-police
P.L.Reichel. (1988). Sourthern Slave Patrols as a Transitional Police Type. Amercian Journal of Police, 7(2), 51-77.
Smith, E. J. (2020, 6 2). Floyd is another moment of reckoning in the history of racism and police brutality in the US. Retrieved June 19, 2020, from sbs: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/slave-patrols-and-chokeholds-a-historic-look-at-police-brutality-and-racism-in-the-us
Truth and Edutainment. (2016, September 18). Slavery did not end in 1865 (Here is the proof). Retrieved June 18, 2020, from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=90&v=IXwqVxY7R1g&feature=emb_logo
