Prohibition
The era of Prohibition occurred because a minority imposed its moral code on an unwary majority which chose not to comply with them. Especially in the large urban areas, the majority of adults wanted to drink. A system for them to do so appeared almost overnight. In every city of the nation, drinking went underground, but the fact that it existed was well known to all. That it existed throughout the era was due to the complete corruption of the police.
The criminal syndicates which arose out of Prohibition quickly acquired enormous power, not from the votes of the people but from their money, which flowed to their coffers in exchange for alcohol. Organized crime significantly weakened the political machines in many cities, as the bootleggers dealt directly with the local police. Crime committed openly and with impunity was only possible if the local police and other authorities were completely corrupted.
With the police often serving as the crime syndicate’s enforcers, incidents which spiked public outrage were inevitable. When the outrage grew loud enough the call for investigations grew. The usual response was the establishment of an independent investigation, which often revealed the depths of the corruption. The corruption wasn’t always part of links to organized crime and illegal liquor. At times it was within the legal system itself.
The 1931 Seabury Commission found corruption among New York’s police officers, magistrates, judges, prosecutors, other attorneys, and bail bondsmen. They had conspired to extort money from arrestees which were deliberately framed by the arresting officers. The commission led to the resignation of New York Mayor Jimmy Walker, numerous arrests and indictments, and public outcry for further reform, spurred by Governor Franklin Roosevelt.
Following the exposure of the corruption in urban police departments many attempted to initiate reforms by loosening the ties to local politicians, particularly at the ward level. These reforms did nothing to remove the tightening connections to organized crime. With the end of prohibition, the police no longer needed to protect the alcohol distribution and consumption facilities, but there were still other illegal activities that they had sworn to stop, but were needed to protect.