Wilson, O. W.

Orlando Winfield Wilson (1900–72) was an advocate of modern policing. He was born in South Dakota on May 15, 1900, which placed him at a pivotal point in American policing. Early in his career, O. W. Wilson attended the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated with a degree in criminology. He was a student of August Vollmer, the chief of police in Berkeley, California, who was considered by many to be the father of modern law enforcement.

Early in his career, Wilson served as a police officer in the Berkeley, California, Police ...