When the union was still young, the professional police forces we know today didnt exist. While political and social forces have shaped how police look and act today, technology has driven many of the major changes over time. In a 1990 opinion from The New York Times, the editorial board wrote that the tyranny of 911 contributed to a deteriorating relationship between police forces and the public. Its not just military uniforms and big guns that have alienated the people from the police