August Vollmer | |
|---|---|
 August Vollmer, 1929 | |
| Born | March 7, 1876 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | November 4, 1955 (aged 79) Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Police career | |
| Country | United States |
| Department | Berkeley Police Department |
| Rank | Chief of Police 1909–1923 |
| Police career | |
| Country | United States |
| Department | Los Angeles Police Department |
| Rank | Chief of Police 1923–1924 |
August Vollmer (March 7, 1876 – November 4, 1955) was the first police chief of Berkeley, California, and a leading figure in the development of the field of criminal justice in the United States in the early 20th century. He has been described as "the father of modern policing".[1] Vollmer played an influential role in introducing early 20th-century police reforms, which increasingly militarized police departments in the United States.[1][2] A veteran of the Spanish–American War in the Philippines and the Philippine–American War, Vollmer introduced reforms that reflected his experiences in the U.S. military.[1]
- ^ a b c Go, Julian (2020). "The Imperial Origins of American Policing: Militarization and Imperial Feedback in the Early 20th Century". American Journal of Sociology. 125 (5): 1193–1254. doi:10.1086/708464. ISSN 0002-9602.
- ^ Lepore, Jill (July 10, 2020). "The Invention of the Police". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 13, 2020.