I think modern police evolved from multiple strands (especially depending on locality), but in the context of England, I think there's been a more or less conti

I think modern police evolved from multiple strands (especially depending on locality), but in the context of England, I think there's been a more or less continuous evolution. The same idea that every adult man was responsible for maintaining order was the basis for night watch men duties, which was a duty that every household was supposed to partake in. Obviously, being a night watch man kind of sucks, so the combination of there being a law that compelled people to actually perform their responsibility, and that not everyone actually wanting to perform that responsibility (or really being fit for that responsibility) naturally led to people paying others to get out of duty... and here we go.