the Frankpledge System

The Frankpledge system was a medieval English arrangement where groups of ten households, called tithings, formed a collective responsible for maintaining law and order within their community. Members of these groups, known as pledges, agreed to police each other’s conduct and ensure that minor crimes were reported and addressed. This system fostered local cooperation in preventing theft, vandalism, and other offenses, with a tithing led by a constable or similar figure who coordinated efforts. It helped establish a decentralized approach to law enforcement, emphasizing communal responsibility and early forms of community-based policing.