'Historical Perspectives: Policing and Technological Change'.

Overview of talk What we know Some theory New police Rules and books Telecoms Control Rooms Computers

What we know already* Origins of new police Who the police were History of institutional structures Who was in charge *pretty much

Some theory and inspiration Max Weber – bureaucracy Michel Foucault – disciplinary society JoAnn Yates Control Through Communication: The rise of system in American management (1989) Jon Agar The Government Machine: A revolutionary history of the computer (2002) John James The Paladins: The story of the RAF up to the outbreak of World War II (1990)

Old to new policing C > 1850 Not ‘professionalisation’ but ‘proletarianisation’. (‘old’) Parish Constables – independent, controlled by warning and incentives New Police –Uniformed –Under orders Effects on public: arrival of a disciplined force

Foucault was right* *about this

Rules and books Interlocking cross-referenced books Regular reports over whole hierarchy Notebook as a focus for controlling the constable Filters: forms are internal - books are gatekeepers “Integrity, sobriety, intelligence, a systematic correctness in business, civility and humanity, are the leading qualifications of a good Police Officer” The Orders and Instructions to be observed by the officers of the Manchester Police (1836)

Landlines, ‘Leading sector’ – 1848 Chartist mobilisation Telegraph: written record Telephones –High-level conferences –Inter-institutional traffic –‘Showing the flag’ –Box systems: supervision –1934 survey: national traffic ‘net work’

Control rooms Military heritage: London Air Defence Area 1917 ‘Police science’ Area wireless 1934: Whitehall 1212 Information Room Effects on public –Fast response –HMIC report 1938: “[shifting] the original basis of our police organisation more in the direction of that of a fire brigade”

Police National Computer : Home Office / Metropolitan Police Joint Automatic Data Processing Unit Centralisation of information in real time London location US equipment purchased Includes: Criminal Name index Includes: Car registration numbers Excludes: Modus Operandi

Broad conclusions National security drives some interventions Limited role of private sector: no ‘security industrial complex’ Filters the key to useful information systems –Alarms info overload Met 1970: 17k calls, 96% false, 0.5% -> arrest Technology frees police from community engagement?

Chris A. Williams History Department