Were the police founded to capture runaway slaves?

[Vice President Christian Man]

I remember hearing this even though the police had been around for longer and in areas where slavery didn't exist.

[John Dule]

It is a lie invented by morons.

[Meclazine for Israel]

From a grammatical perspective, I would use "Were".

[Frodo]

In southern slave states, there were unquestionable links between those who manned the slave patrols and later founded police departments in those states in the wake of the Civil War.  Outside the South (with its 'peculiar institution'), obviously I very much doubt it.  

[The Mikado]

Given professional policing was invented in London and copied by big American cities...really really hard to square that with that line.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Given professional policing was invented in London and copied by big American cities...really really hard to square that with that line.

...I was gonna say.

IIRC, My criminal justice textbooks enjoyed referring to the NYPD as the first professional police department in the US. The New York City Police Department was founded in 1845 (and was preceded by other organizations), a mere decade or so after the UK established their system. I highly doubt that the first priority of an 1800s NYC police force was capturing runaway slaves from several states away.

Also, per Wikipedia, Peter Cooper, noted as an abolitionist in the years prior to the Civil War, was tasked with drawing up plans for the department. I assume he would not have done this if it was with the purpose of slave catching.

[7,052,770]

A few specific departments probably were, but obviously the entire concept of policing wasn't thought up for that reason.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Policing is a human need that has been in existence for thousands of years, and history did not start in 1619.

[Bootes Void]

This theory seems even dumber the more you think about it

[Meclazine for Israel]

The answer is no.

Maybe locally, in an effort to assist that community, they grew the Police Force.

[Badger]

In southern slave states, there were unquestionable links between those who manned the slave patrols and later founded police departments in those states in the wake of the Civil War.  Outside the South (with its 'peculiar institution'), obviously I very much doubt it.