Abstract:
Philly’s Finest is the story of how a big city police force transformed itself from provincial nineteenth century origins into the highly mechanized organization it became in the late twentieth century. This modernization evolved despite numerous obstacles that often threatened its image and damaged its reputation. There was persistent political interference and outbreaks of ruinous scandal and the hard realities of budgets that never seemed to have enough money for more cops or more equipment. All this happened during times of great social upheaval, the birth of the automobile and ever-present increases in crime. This is a glimpse into the world of the Philadelphia Police Department and how its dedicated officers policed the city in the twentieth century.