The Roman Empire had a reasonably effective law enforcement system until the decline of the empire, though there was never an actual police force in the city of Rome itself. Beginning in the 5th century, policing became a function of clan chiefs and heads of state. Local lords and nobles were responsible to maintain order in their lands, and often appointed a constable, sometimes unpaid, to enforce the law.  In 1663, London hired watchmen to guard the streets at night, augmenting the force of unpaid constables, as the first paid law enforcement body. This practice was widespread throughout the United Kingdom. Then, on June 30, 1800 the authorities of Glasgow, Scotland successfully petitioned the Government to pass the Glasgow Police Act establishing the City of Glasgow Police. This was the first professional police service in the country and was different from previous law enforcement in that it practiced preventative policing.  This was quickly followed in other towns, which set up their own police forces by individual Acts of Parliament. In 1829, the Metropolitan Police Act was passed by Parliament, allowing Sir Robert Peel, the home secretary, to found the London Metropolitan Police,  regarded as the first civil police force organized on modern lines.  It became a model for the police forces of many countries, including the United States. The first police service to be set up outside the UK was in Gibraltar, with the formation of the Royal Gibraltar Police.  In 1834, the Toronto Police were founded in Canada, one of the first municipal police departments in North America. In the United States some of the first full-time police forces were the Boston Police Department founded in 1839 and New York City Police Department in 1845.