1. THE BASICS: HISTORY, ROLE, FUNCTION, AND STRUCTURE
POLICING
THE BASICS: HISTORY, ROLE, FUNCTION, AND STRUCTURE

2. POLICING BASICS ~18,000 LE agencies today
Jurisdiction – geographic area where police have authority (municipality, county, state)
Jurisdiction – duties officers can perform
Division of geographic jurisdiction: federal, state, local

3. POLICING: FEDERAL Enforcement of federal laws
President, with Senate approval, appoints chief enforcement officers of each agency
Agencies have jurisdiction over all 50 states, D.C., and US territories
3 types of agencies
Military
Tribal Police
Federal Civilian

4. POLICING: FEDERAL - MILITARY
Law enforcement on military bases, certain federal lands, cases involving military personnel
Each branch has its own way of providing police services
Each branch has its own criminal justice system – courts, correctional institutions, etc.
Military justice based on Uniform Code of Military Justice

5. POLICING: FEDERAL – TRIBAL POLICE
North American reservations are sovereign territories – no local or state police jurisdiction
Federal and military – limited jurisdiction
Public safety crisis on reservations – rate of violent victimization is high, also drug abuse and domestic violence
Grants from government to increase ranks of uniformed officers, enhance community policing efforts, and sustain trial courts

6. POLICING: FEDERAL – CIVILIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT
Roughly 50 agencies
Largest – US Marshals Service, US Postal Inspection Service, Secret Service; FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; DEA
IRS; NPS; US Fish and Wildlife Service have limited enforcement powers

7. POLICING: STATE State boundaries
Legal jurisdiction determined by legislation
3 types:
Traffic enforcement
General criminal investigations
Special investigations
Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer

8. STATE POLICE: HISTORY
Oldest – 1823 – TX Ranger Division of TX Department of Public Safety
First official state police department: PA (1905)
Role of coal industry
Model for other states
Colorado (1935)

9. STATE POLICE: HIGHWAY PATROL
Focus on traffic enforcement
Limited to enforcement of traffic laws and promoting safety on state highways
Example (CO):
Pro-Cycling Challenge (August, 2011)
The Heat is On Campaign (impaired drivers)
Click It or Ticket (seatbelts)
Slow for the Cone Zone (construction zone/worker safety)

10. STATE POLICE: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS
Powers of arrest, search and seizure, carry firearms
Criminal investigations deals with statewide crimes, including drugs and narcotics, crimes occurring in more than one jurisdiction, may provide services to areas without police services (unincorporated areas)
Jurisdiction if municipal/county police are biased
CO: Focus on automobile theft

11. LOCAL POLICING: SHERIFF
Oldest policing unit in US
Elected by popular vote (county residents)
Typically 4-year terms
Minimal qualifications (have gotten higher)
County jurisdiction
Chief law enforcement officer
Responsibilities: law enforcement duties, officers of court, operate county jail, some have extensive investigative jobs
May conflict with city police (jurisdiction, responsibility)
Rise of municipal policing in second half of 20th century

12. LOCAL POLICING: CITY POLICE
Municipal police departments outnumber all other types of police combined
Incorporated towns/cities have power to establish police departments and laws
Over 12,000 municipal departments
90% have fewer than 50 officers (depends on size of area)
Powers only in municipal jurisdiction
Responsibilities: traffic enforcement, accident investigation, patrol and first response, animal control, SAR, EMS, order maintenance, etc.

13. LOCAL POLICING: METRO POLICE
Large metropolitan areas (e.g., Dade County, FL; Las Vegas)
Police expand jurisdiction of officers through intercity agreements
Example of bureaus (Las Vegas):
AIR SUPPORT AIRPORT AREA COMMANDS COMMUNICATIONS CRIME STOPPERS CRIMES AGAINST YOUTH & FAMILY EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FINANCIAL/PROPERTY CRIMES FIREARMS GANG CRIMES HOMICIDE K-9 UNIT MOUNTED POLICE RECORDS RESIDENT OFFICERS ROBBERY SEARCH & RESCUE SPECIAL EVENTS TOURIST SAFETY TRAFFIC VICE VIOLENT CRIMES

14. LOCAL POLICING: SPECIAL POLICE
Examples: airport, park, transit, public school, university, public housing, service provision
Work in very specific areas
Typically have same powers as officers in jurisdictions

15. LOCAL POLICING: STRUCTURE
Chief administrative officer is Chief of Police
Appointed
No guarantee of term
Deputy Chief is assistant
See p. 65 for diagram of administrative structure and functions

16. COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICING (COP)
Two components
Community partnership
Problem-solving (POP)
Necessary (arguably) for several reasons
Level and nature of crime changing
Character of communities shifting
Change in social fabric of the country (e.g., families)
Goals beyond crime control
Prevention
Reduce fear
Improve quality of life

17. COP CONTINUED (CRITICISMS)
Idea that officers should be more selective in making arrests
Rely on extra-legal, instead of legal, characteristics
Tends to only work if officer attitudes are favorable
Arguably more rhetoric (PR) than reality
Uncritical acceptance is dangerous
Due process violations more likely to be accepted by the public (or go unquestioned)
Institution of LE very difficult to change; communities have little power
May not work to reduce crime rates, disorder, fear of crime, etc. (Several case studies have found COP to be effective in a number of ways)

18. COP: BENEFITS Reinforces cooperative ties
More awareness of what is going on (information)
Reduce disorder
Improve officer attitudes

19. COP: CHANGES CREATING THE NEED (EARLY TO MID 1900s)
Professionalization – distinction between police and community
Officers changed routes – corruption, random patrol (perceived benefits)
Centralized control policies
Automobile (reduction of foot patrol – trust/fear)
1970s – 911 – Service calls left little time for anything else
Goal of rapid response (not associated with crime reduction)

20. COP: PROBLEM-ORIENTED ASPECT (POP)
Identify root causes of problems that lead to repeat calls for service
Problem resolution = true, substantive goal of policing
Look at characteristics of problems (small geographic areas) and apply appropriate resources
Problem-solving process dependent upon police and community
Allows tailored solutions to specific concerns of community