Massachusetts’ Oldest Police Department is the Oldest in America

Our local police departments along with the Massachusetts State Police do so much to keep us safe and serve justice that sometimes we take it for granted. Think about all of the things our police departments do throughout Massachusetts to better the community like preventing crime and keeping us safe to things we may not even realize or think of including hosting and participating in sessions regarding virtual bullying, connecting with our children by visiting schools, offering in-person or virtual coffee chats with the public, giving public tours of the police stations, participating in community fundraising events like "Cop on Top" (an event where law enforcement officers sit on the rooftop of a building for one or more days to raise awareness of and funds for Special Olympics) or just having someone from law enforcement listen to citizen concerns. These are just a few examples of what our fine police departments do to put the community first.

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Did You Know That The Oldest Police Department in Massachusetts is Also the Oldest in America

I always wondered what the first police department was in the U.S. and come to find out it's the Boston Police Department. Here's some information that backs this up from the City of Boston Archives.

As the oldest police department in the country, the Boston Police Department (BPD) has a rich history and a well-established presence in the Boston community. The department was established in 1854 structured after the model developed by Sir Robert Peele for the London Police force. The Boston Police Department was the first paid, professional public safety department in the country.

 

You can learn more about the Boston Police Department and its history by going here.