California Rangers
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The California Rangers was a paramilitary state police force in California, established in May 1853 and disestablished in August of the same year. It was the first statewide law enforcement agency in California, and was founded by Governor of California John Bigler and commanded by Harry Love specifically to combat violent crime in the Gold Country at the time, particularly the Five Joaquins Gang, which they were responsible for defeating.
The California Rangers were considered part of California's
History
After years of robbery and killing in California's
On May 28, 1853, Captain Love raised his company of experienced Mexican War veterans, including Lieutenant
On July 25, 1853, the State Rangers encountered Murrieta and part of his band at a spring on the Arroyo Cantua near the
After the California State Rangers's mission was accomplished with the suppression of the Five Joaquins, the agency was disbanded on August 29, 1853. Governor Bigler paid Captain Love $1,000 in reward money, but the State Legislature decided that the members of the State Rangers had not been sufficiently rewarded, and voted to pay them an additional $5,000.
Legacy
As the first state police force, the California State Rangers were the precursors of the later state police organizations. The California State Capitol Police was created in 1887, local to Sacramento. The Capitol Police later became the
Regarding criminals already convicted in court, in 1996, the State Legislature enacted special funds to create the State Fugitive Teams under the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to investigate and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives; to capture the most dangerous felons in the state. In 2005, the department created a new division, the Office of Correctional Safety, with the Law Enforcement and Investigations Unit to oversee fugitive and gang investigations.
Although no longer called "Rangers", many of the roles and responsibilities of the former California Rangers are continued with the Special Agents working in the current California Department of Justice and the California Bureau of Investigation, which operate teams across the state providing investigative expertise, task forces, and other resources to law enforcement agencies.
References
- [1] THE CALIFORNIA RANGERS as told by Capt. W. J. Howard
See also
- California Department of Justice Special Agents – Modern counterpart to the historic Rangers
- List of law enforcement agencies in California
- Texas Rangers
- Arizona Rangers
- Colorado Mounted Rangers
- New Mexico Mounted Patrol
- Navajo Rangers
- Park ranger