Police Functions & Units
Stephanie Miranda
In the United States of America, the police have functions and specific units to coordinate those functions. The role of the police has become important throughout the years with the increase of crime. The police are responsible for enforcing criminal law, maintaining law and order, and investigating crimes. The law and the constitution is where one’s safety and liberty comes from, meaning that the police are the ones making the primary decisions involving the law while enforcing them.
There are approximately 20,000 agencies in the United States of America, that consist of state and local police agencies. Many of these police agencies are loosely connected to each other. (Maguire, 2002) Police agencies are organized in a bureaucratic structure, having the administration of the departments characterized by tasks, duties, qualifications, rules and regulations, and a hierarchy of authority. (Police Organization, 2015) Having this form of organization allows for a more efficient structure. Many police departments are organized in a quasi-military model, making it seem like they are an institution with a war type of mission. (Bittner, 2012) This military model led to the preference for a hierarchical bureaucracy that is based on a chain of command and personnel ranks. Having this type of model plays an important role in the structure of modern policing.
There are three different types of law enforcement agencies within
In the United States, there are city, county, state, and national police forces. They have very difficult and dangerous responsibilities. These public servants are required to perform many different jobs. They enforce laws and maintain order. They teach people how to help prevent crime and to protect themselves ( Mittleman, 2000). They offer assistance and take charge of many different situations such as car accidents, flooding, and hurricanes. Police
2. The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.
One role that the police have to carry out is making and processing arrests. For example, in an event like a robbery, they would have to do this to make sure that they capture the criminals or suspects etc. in order to keep the community and the public safe.
Law enforcement officers are a part of our communities to protect and serve us from danger and to apprehend criminals that disobey the law. It is their job to apprehend criminals and respond to calls from the people. Most enforcement officers have to stay in their designated areas, or jurisdiction, and respond to any calls or monitor the area. They are there to catch any
The role of police officers is very significant to American history. Police work toward protecting citizens’ rights and helping America become the land of the free. The United States of America is built from the U.S. Constitution Bill of Rights and police play a major role in making sure American rights are met. Evolution has changed many of American history for the better; policing is part of those changes. As new issues in society arise, police must change and adapt to protect and serve the public.
Since the beginning years of American history and basically every other country has been kept safe by the police or police type department. In the United States, there are three levels of law enforcement, there is the Federal level, the State level, and the Local level. The levels of law enforcement have various duties but most duties are very similar. Every day in the field is very different. The job can also be extremely stressful, and law enforcement professionals need specific training to succeed. A career in law enforcement is a secure job to have because crime never stops. What is law enforcement? It is a system where members of society perform in such manner to enforce laws by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing the members of society who violate the laws that protect society. In other words “The generic name for the activities of the agencies responsible for maintaining public order and enforcing the law, particularly the activities of prevention, detection, and investigation of crime and the apprehension of criminals” (BJS).
First, between 1890 and 1930, the management of the police force was centralized. Virtually every decision had to go to the top for approval, with the goal of limiting the low-level officer’s exposure to temptation. To reinforce the hierarchy, specialized units were created to deal with such problems as drugs, youth, guns, and gangs. As Bratton described it, [The department] was divided into little fiefdoms, and some bureau chiefs didn’t even talk to each other…. Each bureau was like a silo: Information entered at the bottom and had to be delivered up the chain of command from one level to another until it reached the chief’s office.
On the local and state levels of policing, for they are similar in organization and management. The federal level of
Many different types of police agencies exist in the United States of America. Each and every police agencies varies from small town police departments to larger federal agencies. The functions of the police agencies usually depend on the type of organization, its size, its mission, and jurisdiction. When selecting an agency that is suitable for you and your interests several things should be considered.
Police Agencies in modern society are a part of the American fabric to serve and protect the American public. The United States currently have more than 15,000 police agencies, (Walker & Katz, 2011). Police Departments across the United States face similar critical issues policing. All police officers face dangers in the job of policing the dangers can emanate from internal and external origins. Police officers have continued to evolve to serve communities by finding better less than lethal alternatives to weapons used. In addition, police departments have continued to keep up with
The principle role of police organizations is to uphold and enforce the law. Police organizations achieve this by safeguarding life and property, maintaining public order, and through detecting and preventing crime. Policing at the state level is composed of separate police organizations. At the state level we have the City or Local Police, County Sheriff and State Police, also known as Highway Patrol or State Troopers. The U.S. government gives each state the authority to self-govern so each state has its own Penal Codes and every state policing organization follows its own Penal Code. Policing at the Federal level is composed of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Federal policing agencies oversee all federal laws.
The United States police force has become increasingly militarized over the last fifty years due to a reliance on the military for political and economic strength and in response to the introduction of serious domestic threats, such as drug and terrorism (Brown 658-659). This militarization has become a serious issue with many Americans over the last decade because of the injuries and deaths of citizens due to the use of excessive force and misconduct by police officers that have access to military equipment. One group, comprised primarily of conservatives, believes that the United States has a duty to provide the local police force with this equipment so that they can effectively apprehend criminals and protect themselves from harm while defending the nation from domestic threats (Taub). This belief stems from the militarization advocates valuation of their protection from criminal drug activity and terroristic attacks over the loss of some civil liberties. The opposing party consists primarily of liberals and social advocacy groups, but is beginning to include some Republicans, such as Senator Paul Rand. This group believes that, due to a lack of basic training (Ritchie), current protocols are not only dangerous, but ineffective, and that they stray from the fundamental duties of domestic law enforcement. These reformists value their civil liberties and protection from police brutality over their safety related to internal threats. These two factions conflicting
In this paper I would be identifying, compare, and contrast the policing function at the local, state, and federal organizational levels. I would be Analyzing how the organizational, management, administration, and operational functions at these three organizational levels are similar or different and why. Also I would be identifying the leadership characteristics and responsibilities pertaining to each organizational level.
There are different factors when it comes to the police influence on society. The factors can be both negative and positive on society. The police are in the community to protect and serve. The main purpose of law enforcement is to maintain order and to investigate criminal activity in the United States.
There are a few various functions of police agencies such as patrol, traffic, juvenile services, intelligence and undercover, and special functions. There are many functions of the patrol and