The largest police department in the United States, the NYPD, was founded in 1845. At that time, no police profession existed. Most patrol officers at that time were mostly white males who had limited education, received little training in police tactics and procedures, and often used excessive force on criminals. Police officers were primarily assigned tasks such as patrolling neighborhoods on foot, arresting offenders for criminal acts, and dealing with civil disobedience, often armed only with a bat in self-defense. For the most part, patrol officers did not have sufficient guidance from department leadership regarding police tactics and procedures. Due to limited supervision from their supervisors, police officers could often be found in local bars and restaurants, eating, drinking, and socializing with community members, instead of patrolling neighborhoods. At that time, police officers were seen as figures with the sole role of ensuring neighborhood safety and persecuting it