The 20th century was an era of a more organized and professional police force. Working to break the long-standing patronage and corruption that plagued its past, Teddy Roosevelt (in his role as New York City Police Commissioner) and other reformers fought for organization and strict standards in the law enforcement profession. "A Professional Force" illustrates how American law enforcement agencies evolved into today's more disciplined and tightly regulated units.

Learn how American law enforcement pulled itself together at its roots, to become a more regulated profession. Take a look at the beginnings of police academies and see how emerging technologies shaped the police we know today. Discover how the FBI developed into an elite crime fighting organization.

Witness how the rise of the automobile spawned the beginnings of state police and highway patrols.

Prohibition created a market for illegal booze in the 1920s, causing organized crime to thrive. View a smuggling bust in Wyoming and see how federal agents (T-Men and G-Men) worked to bring down Al Capone, America's biggest gangster.

Take a seat and watch how law enforcement agencies at all levels worked together to stop John Dillinger, end Bonnie and Clyde's crime spree and solve the Lindbergh baby kidnapping.