Corruption in law enforcement has existed since the beginning of policing. Corruption is something that will never stop in policing for many different reasons. There are many different types of corruption and different levels at which corruption is used. While corruption will never stop, many things are being done to help prevent and reduce corruption in law enforcement. Policing goes back a long way. The word police “comes from the Greek words polis and the word politeuein, which means to be a citizen who participates in the affairs of a city or state.” The earliest roots of the police date back to the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. Although the roots of American policing go back to the way England did its policing. When the first English settlers came to America they brought with them the night watch system from England. In 1636 the English helped the city of Boston establish Night Watch. The Night Watch is a volunteer patrol supervised by an officer. The night watchman's duties consist of reporting drunken people and single women who go out after dark. Then, in 1749, Philadelphia passed legislation to allow gatekeepers in the city. The wardens had a large number of different jobs that they were responsible for, such as selecting and hiring guards, and for which the guards were paid with tax dollars. The guards also served warrants and performed some investigative work. They would also resolve disputes with people and settle arguments. Another task of the guards was also to recover the stolen objects, find out who the thief is and take them to prison. The guardians were not respected in the cities. There was a lot of corruption among the guards and the warden. In 1800s America... in the middle of paper... or jewelry. Bribes: These can occur in many ways. Usually a police officer takes some sort of compensation (monetary) for not taking police action. He did not issue a citation for money. testimony in order to change the outcome of the trial in favor of the defendant in exchange for money Opportunistic theft – Occurs when the opportunity presents itself An officer standing guard at a crime scene An officer stealing from a dead person An officer stealing from a residence where he was sent due to a burglary An officer steals from a drunk individualProtection of illegal activities: this type of corruption is probably the most harmfulIncludes activities such as police officers who allow criminals to transport narcotics, operate drug rings illegal gambling, prostitution, illegal smuggling of foreigners and otherNormally involves several officers for various shifts and holiday time