Currently, the 3rd largest police force in America, the LAPD, was formed in 1869 to combat the growing Californian population after the gold rush. Seven officers were initially hired, but the city marshall and his officers did not have the best relationship, which resulted in one of his subordinates shooting him. After Cheif Gerkins took over, many other chiefs came and gone because many were unable to cope with the growing dissatisfaction of the community.
By the early 1900s, the population of LA had increased to over 100 thousand with only seven or so officers trying to maintain order. Going through the industrial age, and the great depression, border patrol duties became a more important duty, due to the high influx of immigrants from the south. After world war 2, the LAPD's workforce was reduced tremendously due to drafting and enlisting, which had caused numerous problems with the efficiency and effectiveness of the department.
When Chief parker came into play around 1950, he determined to tame the chaos that was Los Angeles. His leadership streamlined the entire department, through rigid civil procedures and a cut down on waste. The government around the world has begun to seek his expertise in these matters due to such a great success he was. Too many, he was the symbol of an ideal police chief, which is precisely what Los Angeles needed at the time. While there were many objections to the racial discrimination that occurred during his reign, he is still remembered at the most excellent chief that the LAPD has ever had.
Wait that's ridiculous, only 7 officers protecting and serving 100,000 people? How did they manage? I wonder what the city was focusing on instead of the safety of their people. Though I guess that's the industrial age in urban America.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how their history prefaced the police force under Parker's leadership. The police, presumably, was stressed with the plight of having seven officers for 100k people. Especially considering the impact that WWII had on the population and workforce. With this in mind, Parker's "cleanup" at the department was effective- but came at a cost. Namely, the racial discrimination.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading some of the history of the LAPD in this post, I have a better understanding of why people regard Parker as a hero despite his racist ways. The LAPD seems like it was seriously lacking strong leadership and Parker was able to provide that and straighten out the police force. He also revolutionized the way that police forces were organized, which is remarkable. Although I still don't approve of him and his racist ways which caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people, I at least have an appreciation for the good he did. He seems like a very gray character, having both good and bad things wrong with him, as many people do but his is very extreme. I think that we can appreciate what he had done while acknowledging the bad that he committed.
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