This would allow for a police presence and deter criminal activity. The organizational structure was borrowed from the military. This structure included a hierarchy of command. Rankings were used to designate who was in charge and what roles in the police officers had within the organization. Without Sir Robert Peel’s influence of how policing should have been done who knows where our modern policing style would be.
Police Officer Accountability Accountability has become a big thing in today’s policing practices. An officer is accountable for the community, the department, and themselves (Peak, 2012). With accountability of every action they make as an officer puts more strain and concern on them as an officer and can interfere with the officer’s split- decision making process. The first question I need to respond to as part of this exercise is In a situation where an officer is forced to make a split second decision for example when in pursuit, what are the ramifications of that decision in relation to accountability that officer. In a situation as this the the accountability of the officer includes maintaining public safety, as well as the offenders, abide by the law in apprehending the offender that put everyone around in danger, that was left to you to uphold, and ensure the reasoning for the pursuit is identifiable to be held up in court.
Demonstrate how support is provided to citizens by statutory and non-statutory public services. Statutory – The police is a statutory service that has to look after the public, by trying to improve the communities, make sure of citizens safety and serving the public. The police have to be there for us in almost any emergency situation in order to maintain control and prevent any crime. Their purpose is to keep the crime rate as low as possible, help the public in emergency situations and reassure us. The police are there to help by phone, internet or in person.
“The criminal justice system includes courts, police, and corrections. The formal channels are the strict procedures defined by the policies of the organization. The informal channels consist of the undocumented sharing of information. Both channels share in the efficiency and inefficiency of information sending and receiving” (Sinclair, 2011). Examples of formal communication channels include procedures, assignments, and various job descriptions.
However it is important to understand that not all teams evolve smoothly. Team cohesion within the police force is essential for a successful outcome because it is important for all members in different ranks to work together for example police constable, police sergeant, inspector, chief inspector all work together on a case to receive positive outcome because they each have different roles and responsibilities in which are important. This again leads to positive team cohesion because the team works together to complete the task
However, our communities want police officers to use reason and the law when fighting this fight. In order to do that correctly there are several principles we must follow in order to always be on the right side of the law. The first principle I think is important is in regards to use of force. Tennessee v. Garner (1985) and Graham v. Conner (1989) is where law enforcement agencies determine what force is “necessary” for them to use. A police officer must be able to defend themselves or another if they reasonably
Policing Functions Paper Name Class Date Professor Policing Functions Paper The law enforcement officer plays an extremely important role in society by ensuring that functions in society run smoothly and criminal offenders that cause disruptions through committing what has been deemed a crime are apprehended and made to pay for their offenses. One function of the police officer is to provide security form members of the community and investigate crimes that occur while another is to develop processes or programs in society that will aid in preventing crime and ensure the safety of members of the community through effective and proactive responses to crime problems. The police officers role is to prevent and control conduct widely recognized as threatening to life and property and aid individuals who are in danger of physical harm (Stevens, 2005). Law enforcement responds to crime incidents as well as accidents and other public safety incidents that occur in society. They provide aid to members of the community in need and identify potential crime problems in society as well as establishing relationships and bonds with community members to ensure their cooperation in crime situations and to develop joint solutions to potential crime issues.
As information comes from the Police Commissioner it flows all the way down the chain of command, and the information is then passed to the police officers on local patrol. Now information can flow up the chain of command, like police reports, recent crime evidence or facts. Formal channels are naturally rigid, and any changes or modifications must be reviewed within these same channels. If new situations arise, the modification process may not be able to keep pace with the need for change (Wallace and Roberson,
Police departments must actively work with these government agencies when dealing with crime. It is imperative for these agencies to share information with each other to prevent larger crimes from happening i.e. human trafficking, terrorism, and drug cartels. Police practices are affected because their policy is determined by the higher
Also as defined by Young (2011), “Police discretion is the capacity an individual police officer possesses to make a choice among a number of possible courses of action”. Whichever term is deemed best, discretion is essential to criminal justice. Bernice B. Young, B.A., describes discretionary authority as, “One of the most critical and different exercises of power for law enforcement in America today” (2011). Discretion can include making your own decisions, following your gut, and personal input.