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Posted by: patsfan

The following statements were taken from Mass. & Conn. State Police websites. Both claim to be the oldest SP organization in the US. Is there anyone that can explain why Conn. is claiming seniority when they were clearly formed later than Mass.?

"The Massachusetts State Police was created in 1865, making it the oldest statewide law enforcement agency in the nation."



"The Connecticut State Police was formed in 1903, making it the oldest state police agency in the United States."

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Posted by: dfc2502

My guess would be that CT is refering to uniformed State Police, where as in MA prior to 1921 the State Police were detectives.

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Posted by: firefighter39

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfc2502 My guess would be that CT is refering to uniformed State Police, where as in MA prior to 1921 the State Police were detectives.

I think that the "Mets" are older, so with the merger that would make MSP oldest.


Here is a link to an interesting web site

http://home.comcast.net/~mmrubino/Index.html

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Posted by: USMCTrooper

This "discrepancy" has been around for decades. It comes down to criteria. The MSP can trace its origin to 1865 where the first ever state-wide law enforcement force was created. They began as detectives to enforce child labor laws. Over the years its mission and size changed but it remained a state-wide law enforcement agency. The MDC does not go back to the 1860's and had no bearing on the MSP's historical first claim.

Pennsylvania had the state legislature create the Coal and Iron Police in the late 1800's. By 1902 the PSP was created and "formalized" by Executive Order in 1905.

CT traces its origin to 1895.

Quote:

The roots of state law enforcement in Connecticut began in 1895 with the creation of the Law and Order League of Connecticut. A law enabled the Governor of Connecticut to appoint four "agents" to serve as "State Policemen" in order to enforce the State Liquor and vice laws, which at the time were often being ignored by local authorities. The Law and Order League served until it was abolished in 1903. On May 29, 1903, Governor Abiram Chamberlain signed a legislative act that authorized the creation of the Connecticut State Police.

So basically if you go by traced origin, Massachusetts is the oldest. If you trace by when they got uniforms, then it would be Pennsylvania.

Boston PD can trace its origin to the "watch" in the Fall of 1630 while NYC was the first to require uniforms for its watch.

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Posted by: dcs2244

The state police went through several name changes since 1865 before becoming the state police. The original organization was created by Governor Curtis W. Guild, III. I think PA is the oldest UNIFORMED state police (1919? vs 1921 for MSP). CT may be the oldest organization to be named "state police"...just speculation about CT on my part. The citation for the first two statements is Commissioner William Powers definitive history of the MA state police.

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Posted by: Clouseau

I'm going with the Texas Rangers.

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Posted by: mpd61

Wasn't it the Spanish Inquisition?

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Posted by: dcs2244

The Texas Rangers are separate from Texas State Troopers: they are both part of Texas Public Safety, but the rangers are investigators...like CPAC. They trace their origin to 1823...but keep in mind that Texas did not enter the union until 1845...so they were not "state" anything until at least that time. Further, they served primarily as indian fighters/fugitive chasers(posse) up until the civil war. The organization was then dissolved and became part of the Confederate Army...so its existence was not continuous...In any event, they did not evolve into a uniformed state police department...they are, perhaps, the oldest state investigative organization. They do have a nice website, though...

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Posted by: RCS

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcs2244 The Texas Rangers are separate from Texas State Troopers: they are both part of Texas Public Safety, but the rangers are investigators...like CPAC.

what is CPAC?

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Posted by: Curious EMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCS what is CPAC?

Crime Prevention and Control is what the acronym stands for.

They're the State police detectives. Investigate sex crimes, deaths, accidents, drugs, and all the stuff like that. They work closely with the AG and various DA's offices, and provide a lot of assistance to local depts. You know, spending their money to better the locals, yet you've never heard of them...

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Posted by: dcs2244

Sorry, cpac is the old acronym, it's BIS know, I think

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Posted by: nevrehc

No, changed again. DIS- State Police Detectives assigned to XYZ county DA's office.

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Posted by: Killjoy

The term CPAC is itself a bit of an anachronism; they're officially called State Police Detective Units (SPDU) now. DIS stands for the Division of Investigative Services, one of many divisions of the MSP (DFS-Division of Field Services, etc.).

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Posted by: Andy0921

Im not sure, but I was always under the impression that CSP was the oldest in America. I have a buddy whos a retired CSP at troop I in Bethany Connecticut and when I was there with him theres a sign on the door that says "THROUGH THESE DOORS PASS THE MEMBERS OF THE OLDEST And FINEST STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN AMERICA" I also got to go to the CSP 100th anniversary ball with him back in 03 it was awesome. But anyways im not sure all the CSP guys tell me there the oldest in the nation and so does Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_State_Police

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Posted by: Crvtte65

Keep in mind Weikipedia is edited and new entries are created by anyone. If you referred to the Encyclopedia Britannica or Encarta then you would have a credible source.

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Posted by: Andy0921

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crvtte65 Keep in mind Weikipedia is edited and new entries are created by anyone. If you referred to the Encyclopedia Britannica or Encarta then you would have a credible source.

Yeah let me check encarta.

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