Editing Vigiles (section)

=== Police force ===
Starting about 27 BC, Augustus added a police function to the Vigiles to counterbalance the urban mobs that had run rampant during the latter days of the Republic.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.realpolice.net/articles/police-history/history-of-law-enforcement.html |title=History of Law Enforcement - Police History |access-date=2015-10-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919025753/http://www.realpolice.net/articles/police-history/history-of-law-enforcement.html |archive-date=2015-09-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In addition to extinguishing fires, the Vigiles were the [[Watchman (law enforcement)|nightwatch]] of Rome.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Robinson|first=O. F. |author-link= Olivia F. Robinson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1hGIAgAAQBAJ&q=Vigiles|title=Ancient Rome: City Planning and Administration|date=2003-08-27|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-84493-7|language=en}}</ref> Their duties included apprehending thieves and robbers<ref>{{Cite book|last=Davis|first=Lindsey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G54RhGRRFKoC&q=Vigiles&pg=PT329|title=Falco: The Official Companion|date=2011-01-18|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1-4464-5523-4|language=en}}</ref> and capturing runaway slaves.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Windle|first=Sir Bertram Coghill Alan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fiUXAAAAYAAJ&q=Vigiles|title=A Collection of Archaeological Pamphlets on Roman Remains Formed by Sir B.C.A. Windle and Relating Principally to Great Britain|date=1887|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Republican principles of policing|date=1995-09-21|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511620324.003|work=Public Order in Ancient Rome|pages=4–46|publisher=Cambridge University Press|doi=10.1017/cbo9780511620324.003|isbn=978-0-521-38749-1|access-date=2020-11-14|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Conser|first1=James A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CHmSzuwyXtkC&q=Vigiles&pg=PA34|title=Law Enforcement in the United States|last2=Paynich|first2=Rebecca|last3=Gingerich|first3=Terry|last4=Gingerich|first4=Terry E.|date=2011|publisher=Jones & Bartlett Publishers|isbn=978-0-7637-9938-0|language=en}}</ref> The task of guarding the [[Thermae|baths]] was added as a duty of the Vigiles during the reign of [[Alexander Severus]] when the baths remained open during the night. They dealt primarily with [[misdemeanors|petty crimes]] and looked for disturbances of the peace while they patrolled the streets. [[Sedition]], riots and violent crimes were handled by the ''[[Cohortes urbanae]]'' and (to a lesser extent) the [[Praetorian Guard]], though Vigiles could provide a supporting role in these situations. The ''Vigiles'' were not considered a [[para-military]] unit.