The policeman as domestic missionary

‘the initiatives of the police authorities in these areas of course cannot be viewed apart from the attitudes, prejudices, and momentary reformist enthusiasms of the municipalities, magistrates, and local elites who employed them. This was especially the case outside of London where the police were much less independent of local control than in the metropolis. For this reason police actions must be considered as forming the cutting edge of a wider and larger effort in northern industrial towns to impose new standards of urban discipline. It was the boroughs, after all who charged the police with the monitoring and suppression of popular activities and recreations considered conductive to immorality, disorder, or crime; it was the police who had to discharge that mandate as best they could or at least convince those to who they were responsible that they were doing so … In February 1836, the Leeds council requested the mayor to direct the police to give information “as shall lead to the conviction of all … persons as shall continue to prophane the Lord’s day”, to pay particular attention to drinking places on Saturday nights, to strictly enforce proper closing times, and to “observe those who resort to the public house or use sports in time of divine service”.’

(Storch, 1976: 483)