Chapter 5 Law Enforcement Today

RESPONSIBILITIES of POLICE The basic responsibilities of police include: To enforce laws To provide services To prevent crime To preserve the peace

Enforce Laws / Provide Services 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 Crime Prevent 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 Peace Related 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 POLICING Modern 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 PROBLEMS Early 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 ERA The 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 ERA In 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 ERA Professionalism Vollmer ( Chief of Police – Berkeley Ca. ) – emphasized technology O.W. Wilson – professionalism by removing politics from policing; stressed the need for efficiency through bureaucracy and technology Chiefs appointed mid-level managers Large areas of police under one ward

REFORM ERA Administrative 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 ERA Government 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 TODAY Better 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 RECRUITMENT Background 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 TRAINING The 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 TRAINING The 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

MINORITIES Increase 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 COUNTY LAW 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)

CORONER Coroner: 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: Assist local police agencies Investigate criminal activities that crossed jurisdictional boundaries 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 SECURITY The 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 SECURITY U.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 border Facilitate the smooth flow of legal trade and travel Border Patrol 20,000 agents guard sectors along the border U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement CBP covers borders and ICE covers everything else Aggressive with deporting illegal immigrants

HOMELAND SECURITY U.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 JUSTICE Created 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

FBI The 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

DEA One 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. MARSHALLS Oldest 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 SECURITY Over $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.