Understanding the Roots: Policing, History, and Healing The history of policing in the United States is deeply intertwined with the legacy of slavery. Many scholars trace the origins of modern police forces, particularly in the South, back to slave patrols established in the 1700s. These patrols were designed to control enslaved populations, prevent uprisings, and capture runaways, often employing brutal tactics and legally sanctioned violence to enforce the institution of slavery. After the Civ

A history of corruption in the United States - Harvard Law School