The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | October 2024 August Vollmer : Why every police leader should know his name
Vollmer spearheaded revolutionary ideas that today ’ s cops take for granted , like police call boxes and vehicle patrols . However , he still has more to teach .
By Nicholas Blauth Reprinted with permission from police1 . com
“ The police are the public ; the public are the police . The police are paid to give full-time attention to duties that are incumbent upon every citizen in the interest of community welfare and existence .” Sir Robert Peel , 1829
Berkeley is know as one of the safest cities in California , boasting a flourishing community rife with academies and family life . However , it wasn ’ t always this way . At the turn of the 20th century , the town saw an uptick in public crime like prostitution , gambling and local corruption .
It was in this environment that a young August Vollmer , a veteran of the Spanish-American War with a humble education , would run for town marshal of the Berkeley Police Department . Vollmer would quickly turn the agency into the most modern police force in the country by implementing dozens of reforms that revolutionized American law enforcement as he sought to bring professional , academic changes to policing at a national level . He would end up labeled the “ father of police administration ” and the rest would be history .
But who was August Vollmer , and why was he so influential ? Most importantly , why should he matter to modern law enforcement ? The answer is simple : his leadership . Through everything he did , Vollmer reflected the values of courage , integrity and open-mindedness . These values directly led to his personal success in his fight against crime and indirectly raised his agency and subordinates to greatness . By reflecting the values Vollmer endorsed and lived , law enforcement may be able to replicate the great successes he had in such a turbulent era .
August Vollmer early career Vollmer lacked a college diploma , but he made up for it with his inquisitive nature and impressive resume . In his youth , he sought out university lectures wherever he went and devoured books , pamphlets , essays and other academic work . Vollmer also helped create Berkeley ’ s fire department , started a fuel and feed business , and liquidated all his earnings to fight as an enlisted soldier in the Philippines . Upon returning , he would make himself famous by jumping onto a runaway freight train and pulling its brakes to prevent a catastrophic crash .
With this varied background , Vollmer ran for police marshal at the behest of his friends , campaigning on a promise to rid the university town of “ vice .” He took the position in 1905 .
Open-minded reform Unlike others in America who saw the main role of police officers as guardians against outsiders and the crime they bring , Vollmer saw police as a crucial part in correcting public ethics , combating vice and creating a healthier society . He applied a holistic and almost sociological approach to law enforcement . He saw his job as a reflection of the people in their fight against disorder amongst themselves . Rather than label criminal “ moral imbeciles ,” as was popular at the time , Vollmer derided the term as contributing nothing to the facts of the case or the reform of the
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