Section II: Law Section II: Law EnforcementEnforcement

Chapter 4: Contemporary Chapter 4: Contemporary PolicingPolicing

Chapter 5: Community Chapter 5: Community Policing, Problem Solving Policing, Problem Solving

Policing & ServicePolicing & Service

IntroductionIntroduction

Why Do We have Police?Why Do We have Police? Police have the power and authority to Police have the power and authority to

do something in a situation. They are do something in a situation. They are necessary when coercion is required.necessary when coercion is required.

Stereotyped image role of Crime Stereotyped image role of Crime Fighter!!Fighter!!

90% of police work is social service90% of police work is social service Are police crime fighters or preservers of the Are police crime fighters or preservers of the

peace?peace?

Police and the PeoplePolice and the People

Police authority come from the people.Police authority come from the people. Police are a part of their communities, Police are a part of their communities,

state and federal government.state and federal government. Success of policing depends heavily of Success of policing depends heavily of

public support.public support. The people largely determine the The people largely determine the

goals of policing and give law goals of policing and give law enforcement agencies their authority enforcement agencies their authority to meet these goals. Citizens support to meet these goals. Citizens support is vital.is vital.

Traditional Goals of Policing:Traditional Goals of Policing: Historically, the basic goals of most Historically, the basic goals of most

police agencies are to:police agencies are to: Enforce lawsEnforce laws Preserve the peacePreserve the peace Prevent CrimesPrevent Crimes Protect Civil Rights and Civil LibertiesProtect Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Provide servicesProvide services

These goals often overlap.These goals often overlap. Enforcing the Law:Enforcing the Law: They must decide what laws to enforceThey must decide what laws to enforce They assist in prosecutionThey assist in prosecution They are often blamed for failure (they They are often blamed for failure (they

are in the public eye)are in the public eye) Public support may be the single most Public support may be the single most

important factor in the total law important factor in the total law enforcement effortenforcement effort

Preserving the Peace:Preserving the Peace: Police are often called to intervene in Police are often called to intervene in

non-criminal conduct such as: crowd non-criminal conduct such as: crowd control, domestic disputes, parking, control, domestic disputes, parking, pedestrians.pedestrians.

Some of the above could result in Some of the above could result in crimes if not resolved.crimes if not resolved.

Police presence at this level could be Police presence at this level could be enough to reduce threat of crime.enough to reduce threat of crime.

Preventing Crime:Preventing Crime: This is very closely related to Law This is very closely related to Law

Enforcement and peace preservation.Enforcement and peace preservation. It differs from the above in that it attempts It differs from the above in that it attempts

to eliminate potentially dangerous or to eliminate potentially dangerous or criminal situations.criminal situations.

It is proactiveIt is proactive Crime Prevention may include education of Crime Prevention may include education of

the public, working with juveniles, working the public, working with juveniles, working with P&P, providing police presence.with P&P, providing police presence.

Protecting Constitutional Rights:Protecting Constitutional Rights: Concerns for crime control must be Concerns for crime control must be

balanced by concern for due process.balanced by concern for due process. Providing Services:Providing Services: They may refer service out to other They may refer service out to other

agencies if necessary. What type of agencies if necessary. What type of service do police provide?service do police provide?

Contemporary Goals Resulting Contemporary Goals Resulting from Community Policingfrom Community Policing

Goals resulting from implementing Goals resulting from implementing community policing usually include community policing usually include forming partnerships with the community forming partnerships with the community and a proactive, problem-solving approach and a proactive, problem-solving approach to crime, fear of crime, and crime to crime, fear of crime, and crime prevention.prevention.

Organization of the Department:Organization of the Department: The specific organization of a police The specific organization of a police

Department is influenced by the Department is influenced by the department’s size, location, and extent department’s size, location, and extent and type of crime with which it must dealand type of crime with which it must deal

Whatever the agency size, police Whatever the agency size, police organization seeks “strict accountability organization seeks “strict accountability through a clear rank structure, military through a clear rank structure, military symbols and procedures, a rigid symbols and procedures, a rigid communicational hierarchy, and close communicational hierarchy, and close supervision”supervision”

Most police departments are organized into Most police departments are organized into two basic units: administrative services two basic units: administrative services and field services. Tasks and personnel are and field services. Tasks and personnel are assigned to one or the other.assigned to one or the other.

Administrative services include Administrative services include communications and records, communications and records, recruitment and training and provision recruitment and training and provision of special facilities and service.of special facilities and service.

Communications:Communications: Police must be keep current and Police must be keep current and

informed. Current information is informed. Current information is usually provided at roll call, radio, usually provided at roll call, radio, phone and computer.phone and computer.

Communication is the Life Line of Communication is the Life Line of any police Department!any police Department!

Records: Police records may be Records: Police records may be categorized as (1) administrative categorized as (1) administrative records, (2) arrest records, (3) records, (2) arrest records, (3) identification records and (4) complaint identification records and (4) complaint records.records.

Identification Records contain Identification Records contain fingerprints, photographs and other fingerprints, photographs and other descriptive data obtained from arrested descriptive data obtained from arrested persons.persons.

Centralized, integrated, accurate Centralized, integrated, accurate systems of communication and systems of communication and records increase the effectiveness records increase the effectiveness and efficiency of field services.and efficiency of field services.

A data Privacy act regulates the use A data Privacy act regulates the use of confidential and private of confidential and private information on individuals in the information on individuals in the records, files and processes of a records, files and processes of a state and its political subdivision.state and its political subdivision.

Field Services include patrol, traffic, Field Services include patrol, traffic, investigations, and community service.investigations, and community service.

Traditionally police departments have Traditionally police departments have been generalists. That is, most of their been generalists. That is, most of their personnel is assigned to patrol, and personnel is assigned to patrol, and each officer is responsible for providing each officer is responsible for providing basic law enforcement services of all basic law enforcement services of all types to a specified geographic area.types to a specified geographic area.

Larger departments tend to be more Larger departments tend to be more specialist oriented. (task forces, specialist oriented. (task forces, detectives, sex crimes)detectives, sex crimes)

Usually 60 to 70 percent of a Usually 60 to 70 percent of a department’s police officers are department’s police officers are assigned to patrol operations, assigned to patrol operations, providing continuous police service providing continuous police service and high visibility of law and high visibility of law enforcement. enforcement.

Rural Policing:Rural Policing: Some rural areas have only a small Some rural areas have only a small

police force or may only have one police force or may only have one officer. Backup can be miles away. officer. Backup can be miles away.

Police subculture:Police subculture: A subculture is any group A subculture is any group

demonstrating specific patterns of demonstrating specific patterns of behavior that distinguish it from behavior that distinguish it from others within a society. others within a society.

Policing has been identified as a Policing has been identified as a subculture commonly referred to as subculture commonly referred to as “The Blue Brotherhood.”“The Blue Brotherhood.”

Police officer will commonly lose their Police officer will commonly lose their non-police friends within a few years.non-police friends within a few years.

Some times they are isolated from Some times they are isolated from the rest of society.the rest of society.

““us vs. them” which may foster the us vs. them” which may foster the “blue wall of silence.”“blue wall of silence.”

Styles of policing:Styles of policing: Typologies are as follows:Typologies are as follows: Enforcer: most likely to use excessive Enforcer: most likely to use excessive

force.force. Crime fighter/zealot: new, inexperienced Crime fighter/zealot: new, inexperienced

or unable to see the gray areas associated or unable to see the gray areas associated with policing.with policing.

Social service/agent: more attuned to due Social service/agent: more attuned to due process. Often young, well educated, and process. Often young, well educated, and idealistic. More flexible but also interested idealistic. More flexible but also interested in protecting society.in protecting society.

Stereotypes: Suspicious, Cynical, Stereotypes: Suspicious, Cynical, Indifferent, Authoritarian, Bigoted, Indifferent, Authoritarian, Bigoted, Brutal.Brutal.

Police Image results from the media Police Image results from the media portrayal of police officers and from portrayal of police officers and from everyday contacts between everyday contacts between individual police officers and citizens.individual police officers and citizens.

What influences Police Image?What influences Police Image?

Watchdog: Opposite end of spectrum Watchdog: Opposite end of spectrum from the enforcer. The watchdog from the enforcer. The watchdog wants to maintain the status quo, in wants to maintain the status quo, in not making waves. May ignore not making waves. May ignore common violations, such as traffic common violations, such as traffic offenses, and tolerate a certain offenses, and tolerate a certain amount of vice and gambling.amount of vice and gambling.

No officer is purely one type or No officer is purely one type or another. An officer may change style another. An officer may change style depending on the situation.depending on the situation.