First Responders: Policemen and Policewomen

From traffic control (don't you wish NYC traffic today were like the 1911 photo?) to crowd control, police men and women have been on the front lines. These are photos of those who have sworn to serve and protect, dating from the 1800's and early 1900's. In some ways, a lot has changed but the duties of these men and women have remained the same.

Historical facts: Thousands of years ago in China, "prefects" carried out investigations. In ancient Greece, slaves were responsible for crowd control and made arrests. And in the Roman empire, the army was in charge of security while local watchmen would be hired for extra help.