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Article: Congress passes law enforcement museum
- Article from:
- Sheriff
- Article date:
- January 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright National Sheriff's Association Jan/Feb 2001. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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The first system of law enforcement in America was established in Boston, Mass., in April 1631. It was called the "night watch," and officers served part-time, without pay. The first law enforcement fatality in the performance of duty occurred on May 17, 1792. Isaac Smith, a sheriff's deputy in New York City, was shot to death while attempting to make an arrest. Since that time, more than 15,000 other officers have been killed in the line of duty, and today roughly 740,000 officers continue to put their lives on the line for the safety and protection of others.
Yet despite nearly 400 years of service and sacrifice, the law enforcement profession remains a mystery to many Americans. A big ...