The Evolution of the Police in a Small Town: Old Saybrook - 1960 to 2000

Stevenson, Thomas (2008) The Evolution of the Police in a Small Town: Old Saybrook - 1960 to 2000. Masters, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Central Connecticut State University.

Abstract

The role of the police officer cannot be adequately analyzed without an understanding of their historical and social context. An examination of the role of the police officer in a small town provides an elucidating window showing how social forces and demographics influence the delivery of law enforcement, social control, and services within the community. Small town police departments have not received a lot of attention in previous studies yet they are the majority of police agencies in the United States. The Bureau of Justice Statistics for the year 2000 reports 52% of the approximate 17,784 local and state police departments have fewer than 10 sworn officers. In a small town the police must fulfill the same responsibilities of law enforcement, social control, and services with fewer resources than their fellow officers in urban communities. Therefore the present study will contribute to the literature by focusing on the evolution of the police officer role in a small town and makes a historical contribution to the community of Old Saybrook, CT. Based upon a qualitative study, using the methodology of content analysis, an examination of newspaper archives was used to assess the activities and functions and ultimately the role of the small town police officer of Old Saybrook, CT from the department’s formative years 1960, to the year 2000. The objective of the research was to determine if the role of the police officer changed during this period. The research findings revealed that the roles of law enforcement, social control, and services fluctuate over time, with generally one role dominate over the others. This is attributed in partial response to demographics, infrastructure, increased statutory requirements, and desires of community members for services. It is noted that an inverse relationship existed between law enforcement and services. This suggests, due to the limited resources of a small town police department, that as law enforcement increases there are limited resources to perform services. The complete 40-year narrative gives the historical perspective of the evolution of the police officer role in Old Saybrook.