word

POLITEIA which means

"government of the city"

changed the word slightly to

POLITIA which means

"condition of the state or government"

which means person who enforced the law

and it was later adopted by the English Language

A French term which claimed to

be the origin of the

term police officer

The institution of police in the Philippines formally stated during the Spanish period. The establishment of

the police force was not entirely intended for crime prevention or peacekeeping, rather it was created as an

extension of the

colonial military establishment.

Organized in 1712 for the purpose of carrying the regulations of the Department of State, this

was armed and considered as the mounted police

This was a body of rural police organized in each town and established by the Royal Decree of 18

January 1836; this decree provided that 5% of the able-bodied male inhabitants of each province were

to be enlisted in this police organization for three years

This was created by a Royal Decree issued by the Crown on 12 February 1852 to partially relieve

the Spanish Peninsular troops of their work in policing towns.

The Americans established the United States Philippine Commission headed

by General Howard Taft as its first governor-general. On January 9, 1901,

the Metropolitan Police Force of Mania was organized pursuant to Act No .70 of

the Taft Commission. This has become the basis for the celebration of the

anniversary of the Manila’s

Finest every January 9.

ordered that the Philippine Constabulary be one of the four services of the Armed

Forces of the Philippines, enacted on December 23, 1940