Heartbeat
At the very centre of Sir Robert Peel’s idea of policing was the constable’s beat: a few streets, shops and families that he must know and care about.
1862
King George V 1910-1936
A police constable escorts children across Gerrard Street East in Toronto, Canada, in 1924. The rapid success of the Metropolitan Police Force established in London in 1829 took everyone by surprise, even some of its most ardent supporters. Almost immediately, officers were despatched across England to set up similar forces, and some were sent to the colonies. The Toronto force was established in 1834, and was the first of its kind in North America.
Introduction
Whenever newspapers print letters from anxious correspondents demanding more ‘constables on the beat,’ letters are sure to follow reminding us that patrolling a beat is an archaic model of policing not seen in this country for a generation. But back in 1862, the Metropolitan Police still clung to their founding principle that prevention is better than cure.
A PORTION of the Section, called a Beat, is committed to his care: he is to be previously informed by his Serjeant of the names of the streets, &c., forming his Beat.
The police constable will be held responsible for the security of life and property within his beat, and for the preservation of peace and general good order during the time he is on duty. He should make himself perfectly acquainted with all the parts of his beat or section, with the streets, thoroughfares, courts, and houses. He will be expected to possess such a knowledge of the inhabitants of each house, as will enable him to recognize their persons, so as to prevent mistakes, and to enable him to render assistance to the inhabitants when called for.
He will be able to see every part of his beat, at least once in ten minutes or a quarter of an hour; and this he will be expected to do; so that any person requiring assistance, by remaining in the same spot for that length of time, must certainly meet a constable.
