The (PSP) Pennsylvania State Police was the model for the (DSP) Research Paper

The (PSP) Pennsylvania State Police was the model for the (DSP) Delaware State Police - Research Paper Example The labor struggles related to mines and steel mills were the initial reason that Pennsylvania decided to organize an official police force with statewide jurisdiction during the early 1900s. (PSP-HEMC, 2011) As the Pennsylvania State Police Historical, Educational and Memorial Center writes in their history of the force: â€Å"The turning point came in 1902 with what became known as The Great Anthracite Strike. It began May 15 and lasted until October 23. The violence disrupted the peace of seven counties and caused a nationwide coal shortage, driving up the price of anthracite coal. The strike did not end until President Theodore Roosevelt intervened. During the strike's aftermath, it was finally recognized that peace and order should be maintained by regularly appointed and responsible officers employed by the public. This led to the formation of the Pennsylvania State Police.† (PSP-HEMC, 2011) Initially there was fear among organized labor and other liberal parts of societ y that the Pennsylvania State Police force would be used as â€Å"a private army,† and because of this the initial force was limited to around 225 men divided into four divisions and tasked with the security of the state. (PSP-HEMC, 2011) These four initial divisions were related to the geographical areas: Troop A, Greensburg Troop B,. Wilkes ­Barre (later moved to Wyoming) Troop C, Reading Troop D, Punxsutawney . The historical society also reports that the Pennsylvania State Police force was originally limited to unmarried men, and this continued until after WWII. (PSP-HEMC, 2011) The four troop divisions were commanded by a Police Superintendent and under the authority of the Governor of the State of Pennsylvania. Within 20 years of its founding, the size of the PSP doubled due to the need for police with the increasing population and modernization of the country. In 1920, the PSP instituted a Police Training Academy and bought a number of motorcycles for the officers to use in policing the long distances of the districts. These characteristics can be seen as identifying the important aspects of the Pennsylvania State Police: The use of uniforms, badges, weapons, & other symbols of authority similar to the Army. The use of military organization and command structures within the police force. The jurisdictional recognition of authority and the limitation of powers to a district. The use of training academies to recruit and drill members in the standards of the group. The use of motorcycles and motor vehicles to patrol the area the force is tasked to enforce. In viewing these characteristics as fundamental to the model on which the Pennsylvania State Police force was formed and operated, it can be seen how other states modeled their own police forces on this same pattern during the early part of the 20th century. Pennsylvania’s political and cultural influence was stronger over the rest of the country during that era than it is now, with the w ealth of steel and mining generating swift economic growth and population expansion. Other states looked to Pennsylvania for leadership and the labor struggles there would influence the union movement in other parts of the country as well. Mines and factories had used Pinkertons as a type of organized private police force to combat organized labor strikes and riots, but as the economic interests of the industrialists were ingrained in the political authority of the governor, they could also trust the State to protect their capital

Iron Triangle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Iron Triangle - Essay Example roup always has the potential of creating a situation in which through lobbying, they go an extra mile in having undue influence on the government of the day. For instance, The National Rifle Association can strategically lobby in order to block proposed gun control measures. The iron triangle concept can come into play in such a scenario the politicians in any of the two congresses bow to the lobbyists then in turn block initiatives like the universal background checks. This would happen even if majority of the voters support the proposed gun control measures. The congress forms another corner of the Iron Triangle. In many instances, the congress with the long term scheme of winning elections exchanges what can be called friendly legislations to government agencies and bureaucrats. This can always happen in two ways. Firstly, the bureaucrats receive less oversight from the congress which enables them to execute policy more freely.Secondly, agencies, special interest groups and bureaucrats receive lowered regulation and special favours.As an example, a congress person in the Agricultural Committee representing Midwest in the House representatives may lobby from the ethanol industry to support factual evidence on why its beneficial to use corn in producing ethanol. If the ethanol industry sees the congressman’s policies to be beneficial, then they play a great part in lobbying selling the representative as a bet for corn farmers. This would in turn raise chances for reelection. Government Agencies and bureaucracies form the third corner of the triangle. They have the main responsibility to implement the procedures and policies passed by the congress. Since congress is their key source of funding, they in some instances implement decisions which are in favor of the congress even if those decisions are unpopular with the citizens. For instance, Amtrack can apply dubious tactic of convincing the congress to reduce truck regulations although this has a long time