Night Watch to Police, 1811-28 113arrest. Requests for additional men ranged from as few as four or six to as
many as 400.^57 Better pay was urged in the hope of decreasing corruption
and increasing police effectiveness. The magistrates at Great Marlborough
Street argued that wages were too low 'to ensure exertion'. Officers were
paid a retainer by government and then hired by individual crime victims to
find offenders. The justices felt this led 'only to the detection of Offenders
and not to the prevention of Offenses'.^58 Discretionary rewards were also
recommended as a way to encourage officers to do their duty. Several
magistrates wanted statutory provision for wider powers to detain 'reputed
Thieves' and 'suspicious Characters' .. This was consistent with the increas-
ingly common view that property crime was the work of 'professional',
readily identifiable criminals and thus crime prevention required wider
powers of arrest. 59
Only the Shadwell magistrates commented extensively on the relationship
between the police offices and the parishes: 'We are strongly inclined to
think that the civil authorities can derive no aid more effective nor less
expensive, than from the parochial police, if duly encouraged, and under
proper control.' These magistrates were critical of constables and headbor-
oughs because 'they are usually of the lower descriptions of 'fradesmen, they
are compelled to serve, and receive no remuneration'. The magistrates
suggest that the government create a fund to pay for suitable deputies. The
professional constables 'would not only be efficient themselves, but would be
a check upon those who chose to serve in person'. They also urged that a
'Peace Officer' be hired to supervise the petty constables, an officer who
would be responsible to the magistrates, not the parish authorities. In this
way, the parochial police would be improved, especially its preventive func-
tions, and it would be accomplished 'at a moderate expense to Government'.
The Shadwell magistrates ended their report: 'Until much more be done
towards the substitution of Religion for Infidelity: until the Law shall make a
more decisive stand between the Poor and their devourers, honest Men will
not be protected from Thieves.'^60
The only other reference to parochial watch forces was in the response of
John Longley, of the Thames River Police Office. At the end of his letter,
almost as an afterthought, he wrote: 'It will doubtless fall under your Lord-
ship's Consideration how far it may be expedient or practicable to place the
Parish Watchmen under the Control of the Magistrates, which it appears
would render them much more efficient ... .' The reference to this in the
summary of all the magistrates' suggestions was underlined in pencil and in
the margin was written, 'Most Important'.^61
Lord Sidmouth responded by expanding the Foot Patrol and creating
another branch of government police. The Foot Patrol watched the city
centre and its number increased from 62 to 72. Th patrol the areas immedi-
ately beyond the centre, Sidmouth created the 'Dismounted Horse Patrol',