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68 FBI L. Enforcement Bull. 11 (1999)
Preserving Police History: Benefits for the Present and the Future

handle is hein.journals/fbileb68 and id is 115 raw text is: Preservin Benefits for ti By PHILLIP D. SCHERTZING, I In a memorable scene from the film Amistad, former president John Quincy Adams (played by Sir Anthony Hopkins) elo- quently lectures the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court on the impor- tance of a sense of history and fa- miliarity with American ancestors. To understand ourselves as a na- tion, he argues, we must remember that who we are, is who we were. This same message applies to American law enforcement agen- cies as they prepare for the 21st century. While broad histories concern- ing the evolution of law enforce- ment in the United States exist, voids remain in the historical records of hundreds of individual departments-from small rural vil- lage police or county sheriffs of- fices to large metropolitan or state police forces. Furthermore, it is not uncommon today for young law en- forcement officers to shrug when asked about their departments' ori- gins, past leaders and heroes, proudest traditions, or greatest ac- complishments. At the same time, students, journalists, and interested citizens who inquire about their lo- cal police agency's history often are disappointed by the lack of useful references. Such evidence of apathy or ignorance about their own his- tory seems especially ironic for semimilitary organizations that claim to promote professionalism, esprit de corps, and community service. As the late speaker of the house Thomas P. Tip O'Neil was known to say, All politics is local. The same holds true for history-at least the history that proves mean- ingful for the average person. People feel a stronger connection with a past that includes familiar names, places, and events. Cer- tainly, local law enforcement insti- tutions profoundly have influenced the history of every city, county, and state in the nation. Therefore, it seems worthwhile to preserve and communicate the history of every agency. April 1999 / 11

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