Chapter 5Law Enforcement Today

RESPONSIBILITIES of POLICE

The basic responsibilities of police include:

1. To enforce laws

2. To provide services

3. To prevent crime

4. To preserve the peace

Enforce Laws / Provide Services

Enforce Law:

Crime fighter role (perceived by police officer and society)

Seek out and apprehend those who violate the law

Truth is half of a police officer’s time is spent dealing with crime

Providing Services:

Duty to “serve and protect” the community

Numerous services include non- enforcement duties

First to arrive at disasters – search and rescue

Prevent CrimePrevent Crime:

Police’s most controversial responsibility

Response to rising crime rate

Punished convicted criminals stronger laws and more severe penalties

Demand police “ do something” to prevent crime in the first place

Police can prevent crime on a limited basis by the deterrent effect

Preserve the PeaceRelated to Preventing Crime

Can use arrest powers and force in situations where no crime may have occurred, but might occur in the immediate future

“ handling the situation “

EARLY POLICINGModern societies depend on law

enforcement

Early policing had little to do with law enforcement

Night watch system – volunteers

Philadelphia -1833 first day/night

Boston 1838 – first organized Police Department ( 6 full time officers )

New York City 1844 – day and night watches under one single police chief

EARLY PROBLEMSEarly police officers were hardworking, honest and devoted to serving and protecting the public

They were of poor quality because the recruitment and promotion of police officers were tied into the politics of the day

Police officers received their jobs as a result of political connections, not because of their skills and knowledge

POLITICAL ERAThe Political Era of policing :

1840-1930 – corruption was rampant

Police salaries were low – Police saw it as a opportunity to make extra income through illegal activities

Called the patronage system or the “spoils” system – to the political victor went the spoils

Bribery and political corruption are the hallmark of the era

THE REFORM ERAIn 1929, the Wickersham Committee

focused on two areas of American policing that were in need of reform:

Police brutality

The corrupting influence of politics

Commission reported that reform was needed – higher personnel standards, centralized police administration, and increased use of technology – initiating the progressive or reform era of policing

REFORM ERAProfessionalism

Vollmer ( Chief of Police – Berkeley Ca. ) – emphasized technology

O.W. Wilson –

1.professionalism by removing politics from policing;

2.stressed the need for efficiency through bureaucracy and technology

3.Chiefs appointed mid-level managers

4.Large areas of police under one ward

REFORM ERAAdministrative Reforms – chiefs took

control

Reorganized Police Departments in major cities

Appointed Assistant Chiefs

Developed/Implemented crime fighting strategies

Police officers more closely supervised

Consolidated power – large areas under local control

TURMOIL in 60’s and 70’s

Reform area increased efficiency and had a negative effect on Police – Community relations

Police were looked at as intruders in some areas

60’s one of the most turbulent decades

Civil Rights/ Vietnam/ Rising Crime Rate

Helplessness and impoverishment in African/American neighborhoods

Race riots

COMMUNITY ERAGovernment Initiatives in 1968

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act – gov’t gave cities money to create a wide variety of police – community programs

1970’s - police administrators were forced to combine community relations and crime fighting

Community Policing – interaction between Police and citizens and developing a partnership to prevent and fight crime

Intelligence Led Policing

Known as predictive policing

Relies on data concerning the past crime patterns to predict future ones.

Administrators will know where to disperse more effective small forces instead of using a blanket system.

Seemingly random events can be predicted by police.

POLICING TODAYBetter understand crime patterns

Intelligence – led policing known as predictive policing relies on intelligence concerning past crime patterns to predict future crime patterns

Administrators will know where to disperse more effective small forces instead of using a blanket system.

Seemingly random events can be predicted by police.

Challenges of anti-terrorism – 90 % of local and county agencies have anti – terrorist plans

Most police agencies gather intelligence to prevent terror attacks from occurring

POLICE RECRUITMENTBackground checks and tests – include:

Drug tests

Credit checks

Interviews with neighbors, spouse, employers

Background search

Polygraph

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Educational level of recruits is higher than ever

82% require at least a high school diploma

9% require some college

Education requirement debate

POLICE TRAININGThe Academy

Run by police agencies and is a controlled military environment. This is where recruits are taught all the proper technique

Probationary period can last 6 to 8 months depending on department ( NYPD 18 mos.)

During probation the police candidate can be fired without cause

Academy training is run by the state or by a police agency and provides a controlled , militarized environment for recruits

POLICE TRAININGThe Field

Candidate is removed from the classroom and placed on the beat

Not as controlled of an environment as before

Lasts from 6 to 8 months

Supervised by a field officer

Where the officer actually learns how to be an officer.

WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN POLICING

ANTIDISCRIMINATION LAW and AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

In the last 30 years the situation of low representation of women and minorities has been addressed

Civil rights act and other external forces have driven this movement

Affirmative action has been instituted to increase the diversity of employees ( consent decrees)

Recruiting challenges

CHALLENGES FACING WOMEN

Only within the past thirty years has the situation of low representation of women have been addressed (12% women)

Few women leadership positions being held

Women are perceived as soft by their male counter parts

Male officer often deny female officers the chance to protect themselves

Tokenism – belief that women are hired simply to fill the diversity requirements

Sexual Harassment or a pattern of unwelcome sexual advances or obscene remarks in the workplace

MINORITIESIncrease in minorities in police work to

25% of police forces since 1980’s

Problem with double marginality

Double Marginality :

White PO’s believe that minority officers favor their own

Minorities Po’s face hostility from their own communities – viewed as traitors to their own race and ethnicity

MINORITY MAKE UP OF PD’s

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

There are approximately 11,400 law enforcement agencies employing 577,000 people in the United States

They operate on three different levels: local, state and federal

They are said to be “ multilayered “ consisting of a wide network of all three agencies

MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

Have the broadest authority to apprehend criminal suspects, maintain order and provide services to the community

Responsible for a large spectrum of duties (noise complaints to homicides)

Criticism of local police : too underpaid or poorly trained to handle various responsibilities

50% of local PD’s have 10 or less officers

SHERIFFS and COUNTYLAW ENFORCEMENT

Sheriff is the primary law enforcement officer in a county, usually elected to the post by a popular vote.

Important law enforcement figure

Almost all counties have one

Elected – some are politicians

Tends to a high degree on instability and personnel turnover ( a weakness )

Duties: ( violent crime, drug crime, county jails, civil processes and taxes, court officers)

CORONERCoroner:

Elected official on the county level

Also referred to as the medical examiner

Is responsible to investigate “ all sudden, unexplained, unnatural or suspicious deaths “

Determines the cause of death

Performs autopsies and assists in homicide investigations

STATE POLICE AND HIGHWAY PATROLS

Created for three reasons:1. Assist local police agencies2. Investigate criminal activities that crossed

jurisdictional boundaries3. Provide law enforcement in rural areas without

local PD’s

Have statewide jurisdiction and are authorized to perform a wide variety of law enforcement tasks

State highway patrol have limited authority by jurisdiction or by offenses

LIMITED PURPOSE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

Alcohol Beverage Control Commissions

Fish and game warden organizations

Motor vehicle compliance agencies

FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

Does not make up a large part of the

nation’s law enforcement force

Agencies do have substantial influence

Many agencies authorized by Congress

to take care of specific crimes or

situations

HOMELAND SECURITYThe Department of Homeland Security

(DHS):

Created by Bush in 2002

Functions as a cabinet level department to protect the U.S. against international and domestic terrorism

22 existing agencies moved under (DHS )

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (BCP)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The U.S. Secret Service

HOMELAND SECURITYU.S. Customs and Border Protections – polices flow of goods and people across international borders (Mexico and Canada)To keep illegal immigrants, drugs and drug traffickers from crossing the borderFacilitate the smooth flow of legal trade and travel

Border Patrol20,000 agents guard sectors along the border

U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementCBP covers borders and ICE covers everything elseAggressive with deporting illegal immigrants

HOMELAND SECURITYU.S. Secret Service

Created in 1865 to combat currency counterfeiters

1901 – added the responsibility of protecting president, VP, president elect and former presidents

Responsible for protecting political figures

Directs two uniformed groups of police officers:

Secret Service Uniformed Division

Treasury Police Force

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICECreated in 1870 – primary law

enforcement agency in the country

Responsible for enforcing federal criminal law and federal prisons

Agencies include FBI, DEA, ATF and Marshalls

FBIThe Federal Bureau of Investigation:

One of the primary investigative agencies in the United States

Has jurisdiction over nearly 200 federal crimes including kidnapping, extortion, numerous white collar crimes, and bank robbery

Has agents across the nation and the world – terrorism and drug trafficking

The FBI crime laboratory is the largest in the world

National Crime Information Center

DEAOne of the fastest growing law

enforcement agencies in the country

Primary mission is to combat illegal drugs and enforce domestic drug laws

Assist other federal agencies in illegal drug trade on an international level ( Mexico)

Attack and assist on a local level

Share some of responsibilities with FBI

Diversion Groups – prescription drugs

U.S. MARSHALLSOldest federal law enforcement agency

Initially charged to protect A.G.

Today :

Provide security at federal courthouses

Control seized property

Witness protection

Transport federal prisoners

Investigate federal fugitives

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY

Founded in 1789

Responsible for all financial matters in the Federal Government

Pays government bills, borrows money, collects taxes, mints coins and prints paper currency

IRS is their largest bureau – concerned with tax law violations and regulations

PRIVATE SECURITYOver $100 billion

spent each year

Over 10,000 U.S. private security firms

1.1 million people employed in security each year

The function of private security is to deter crime rather than stop it

Security officers only report crimes, and in some cases, make citizens’ arrests.