Police Department Roles and Functions

Police Department Roles and Functions

Police officers play many roles. In the United States the mission of law enforcement is to maintain social order and public safety by reducing crime. To accomplish this and preserve the peace, officers have five main responsibilities (CJi Interactive, 2011).

The first of these responsibilities is to enforce the law. To be able to do this the law enforcement officer must know the law and understand what laws the community they work view as a priority. Understanding and predicting crime and partnering with community organizations can help alleviate many crimes and social problems.

The second responsibility is to arrest offenders. After recognizing a law that is being broken and the individual(s) that are breaking a law, the police officer must apprehend them in a manner that is safe to the individual and also to the public. A routine incident response “helps officers obtain information, interrupt criminal activity, and provide a sense of security to citizens” (CJi Interactive, 2011).

Preventing crime is the third responsibility of a law enforcement officer. Public trust and safety are paramount for a police officer in preventing crime. By anticipating the crime risk and reducing crime opportunities through patrolling their area, police officers can reduce actual crime. Preventative patrols in an officers area helps citizens feel safer.

By being visual to the community, the fourth responsibility of preserving the peace is achieved. This responsibility goes hand-in-hand with the third responsibility of being visual to the community. “All enforcement activities improve the peace of a community” (CJi Interactive, 2011). Police officers can cultivate a positive image and positive attitudes just by being visible to the public.

The last of these interwoven responsibilities is to provide service. Knowing how to treat emotional and behavioral problems, assisting a lost or confused citizen, helping with auto breakdowns, and assisting in medical emergencies are just some of the ways a police officer can provide service to the community in which he/she patrols.

The law enforcement system is complex, comprised of different levels, and free to create laws that match the preferences of their region (CJi Interactive, 2011). Each level has its own departments, jurisdictions, and priorities.

Municipal police are the most important agency in law enforcement. According to Walker & Katz, (2011) “in 2004 they represented 71 percent of all law enforcement agencies and employed 61 percent of all sworn officers” and “the typical police department is a bureaucracy, with a hierarchical structure and an authoritarian management style”. The larger local police organizations usually have rank officers and unions.

The local level of law enforcement has other agencies such as: Sheriff