An integral component to the infrastructure of government is law enforcement. In recent years, police actions, particularly police abuse has come into view of a wide, public and critical eye. While citizens worry about protecting themselves from criminals, it has now been shown that they must also keep a watchful eye on those who are supposed to protect and serve. This paper will discuss the types of police abuse prevalent today, including the use of firearms and recovery of private information. I will also discuss what and how citizens’ rights are taken advantage of by the police.
Police Department Organization Frank Gordillo CJA/214 January 5, 2012 Gilbert G. Otero Police Department Organization Law enforcement has evolved rapidly since the times that citizens could take the law into public hands by policing their own. Even through many changes over the years police organizations in America still use a military style of policing which was developed by Sir Robert Peel back in 1829. This military style of policing is not the only component that makes a policing agency, there are many components that form organized policing agencies and each component is important to making law enforcement successful. This paper will describe the various types of police agencies at the federal, state, and local level and how each is organized. Also this paper will identify the principle role and functions of police organizations, their roles as it applies to the law, and also identify the major organizational theories associated with policing.
Organization Structure of the Police - Peel borrowed the military style of structuring the police. Peel’s operation consisted of police officer in uniform, rank, and an authority system of crime prevention. Today the system is a little different as they were first in place. There are many more crimes being committed now than the 1900’s. Although police officers are authority figures for which who should be trusted, police officers are not trusted today.
Police departments’ effectiveness depends on its organization. Local police are assigned to areas, also known as beats, with the responsibility of maintaining order, ensuring that the law is upheld, and providing needed assistance to citizens. If communities are going to be safe to live in, then the police department must be well organized. As we continue to experience an increase in crime, police organization becomes more and more important, as it determines the police department’s effectiveness. One of the advantages of patrolling is that it gives potential criminals the fear of being caught in the act and citizens the peace of knowing that they are being protected against crime.
The federal government empowered agencies and the state government empowered agencies. Federal agencies consist of of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Border Patrol etc. These agencies have a nationwide jurisdiction and are tasked primarily with National security. Because federal agents have such a vast jurisdiction community policing isn’t their main concern because they don’t deal with the same people on a day to day basis like a local police department would. State police officers get their power from the state
The principal role and functions of police organizations are maintain law and good order. Law enforcement must maintain law and protect the rights of the public. They protect life, property, human rights. In time of crises they maintain good order of the cities and towns the public resides in. Time like after hurricane Katrina when public disorder ran rampant, police tried to maintain good order but needed help from the government.
It is their duties to ensure public safety and maintain order. Secondly, are the Courts, which sentences criminals based on evidence gathered by the Police and Lawyers. Thirdly, are Correctional Institutions, which detains or rehabilitates criminals. The graphic illustration below outlines the Criminal Justice System and its key components: Police The first component is the police, which serve as the gate keepers for the Criminal Justice System. The term police originated from the “Latin word politia” which means civil administrations’’.
Police Influence on Society CJA 344 Police Influence on Society The influence police have on society come in many different ways. The ways police have influence on society can be either positive or negative. Law enforcement personnel in a whole are entrusted with the job of protecting and serving the community. Police are one of the three key components of justice in America. Law enforcements key purpose is to keep order and deter criminal activity in this country.
The actual purpose of the police in theory is to deter crime before it happens. The police are first responders and they are only as effective as there public support. Law enforcements role in the judicial system is to enforce laws. The police's main role is the upkeep of the queen’s peace and to prevent and detect crime. Keeping the peace means providing a presence at known trouble hot spots for example city centres.
The police are occasionally called upon to force unpopular laws while attempting to foster or maintain public support (Wrobleski & Hess, 2006).” How the police balance these concerns often determines the quality of the relationship that they have with the public. The actions of individual police officers (the use of excessive force), or policies enacted by a department that emphasize the coercive legal authority of the police (zero tolerance policing) may jeopardize public satisfaction. In addition, “the quality of police and community relations often contributes to the ability of the police to accomplish goals of public safety (Wrobleski & Hess, 2006).” When the public is satisfied with and has confidence in the police, they are more likely to contribute information that may assist the police in solving crimes. When community residents trust the police, they are more willing to work collaboratively with the police to make improvements to neighborhoods. Therefore, there are very real and