Police in AmericaPolice in America

Chapter ThreeChapter Three

The Contemporary Law The Contemporary Law Enforcement IndustryEnforcement Industry

© 2013 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved.McGraw-Hill

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Basic Features of American Law Basic Features of American Law EnforcementEnforcement

Local Political Control Local Political Control Tradition inherited from EnglandTradition inherited from England Primary responsibility for police protection rests with Primary responsibility for police protection rests with

local governmentslocal governments Result is a highly fragmented, decentralized system Result is a highly fragmented, decentralized system

for regulating the different agenciesfor regulating the different agencies

Police services provided on 4 different Police services provided on 4 different levelslevels City, County, State, FederalCity, County, State, Federal

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An An ““IndustryIndustry”” vs. International vs. International PerspectivePerspective

““IndustryIndustry”” Perspective Perspective This approach provides a consumer perspective on This approach provides a consumer perspective on

policingpolicing Average citizen receive police services from several Average citizen receive police services from several

different agenciesdifferent agencies

International PerspectiveInternational Perspective Other countries have less fragmented systemsOther countries have less fragmented systems England only has 43 law enforcement agencies and England only has 43 law enforcement agencies and

Japan has 47Japan has 47• Their national governments provides a significant part of their local agencyTheir national governments provides a significant part of their local agency ’’s budgetss budgets

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Components of the American Law Components of the American Law Enforcement IndustryEnforcement Industry

Private securityPrivate security Private security firmsPrivate security firms Security personnelSecurity personnel

Government AgenciesGovernment Agencies LocalLocal

• Municipal policeMunicipal police• County PoliceCounty Police• County sheriffsCounty sheriffs

StateState• State policeState police• Bureaus of criminal investigationBureaus of criminal investigation

FederalFederal• Federal law enforcement agenciesFederal law enforcement agencies• Military law enforcementMilitary law enforcement

Special district policeSpecial district police• Public schools, transit police, college and university policePublic schools, transit police, college and university police

Native American tribal policeNative American tribal police

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Employment by state and local Employment by state and local law enforcementlaw enforcement

Local police

Sheriff

State police

Special police

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Basic Sources on Law Enforcement Basic Sources on Law Enforcement AgenciesAgencies

The most comprehensive source of data on American The most comprehensive source of data on American law enforcement agencies is the report from the Bureau law enforcement agencies is the report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), of Justice Statistics (BJS), Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Management and Administrative StatisticsManagement and Administrative Statistics..

The most recent report is for 2010; BJS intends to The most recent report is for 2010; BJS intends to conduct new surveys every 2-3 years.conduct new surveys every 2-3 years.

Additional data can be found in the FBIAdditional data can be found in the FBI’’s Uniform Crime s Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), published annually.Reports (UCR), published annually.

Many law enforcement agencies now maintain their own Many law enforcement agencies now maintain their own website, which provides information about organizational website, which provides information about organizational structure and current programs.structure and current programs.

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Contemporary Law EnforcementContemporary Law Enforcement

Sworn officers vs. total Sworn officers vs. total number of employeesnumber of employees

CivilianizationCivilianization Police-population ratioPolice-population ratio

Officers per 1,000 Officers per 1,000 populationpopulation

CostCost LaborLabor

Municipal policeMunicipal police

County SheriffCounty Sheriff Law enforcementLaw enforcement CourtsCourts CorrectionsCorrections

StateState State police - full serviceState police - full service Highway PatrolHighway Patrol

Private SecurityPrivate Security Over 2,000,000 people Over 2,000,000 people

employedemployed

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The Fragmentation IssueThe Fragmentation Issue Lack of coordination between agenciesLack of coordination between agencies Crime displacementCrime displacement Duplication of servicesDuplication of services Inconsistent standardsInconsistent standards AlternativeAlternative

ConsolidationConsolidation ContractingContracting

However, the problem may not be as serious as However, the problem may not be as serious as some have arguedsome have argued The PSS concluded that small police departments were not The PSS concluded that small police departments were not

necessarily less efficient than large departmentsnecessarily less efficient than large departments Small departments put more officers on the street Small departments put more officers on the street

performing direct police servicesperforming direct police services

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Types of AgenciesTypes of Agencies

Municipal policeMunicipal police represent 71 percent of all law enforcement agencies, handle represent 71 percent of all law enforcement agencies, handle

serious crime, and provide emergency servicesserious crime, and provide emergency services

County policeCounty police Municipal police that operate on a county wide basis, constitute Municipal police that operate on a county wide basis, constitute

1 percent1 percent

SheriffsSheriffs Responsibilities defined in state constitution, elected position, Responsibilities defined in state constitution, elected position,

serve all three components of criminal justice system: law serve all three components of criminal justice system: law enforcement, courts, and correctionsenforcement, courts, and corrections

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Other Local AgenciesOther Local Agencies The ConstableThe Constable

Role defined by state constitutionRole defined by state constitution Typically work within county court systemTypically work within county court system

The Coroner/Medical ExaminerThe Coroner/Medical Examiner Have responsibility to investigate crimesHave responsibility to investigate crimes Coroners are not trained physicians and are elected to their Coroners are not trained physicians and are elected to their

positionposition Medical Examiners are appointed and receive special trainingMedical Examiners are appointed and receive special training Investigate 20 percent of deaths in U.S.Investigate 20 percent of deaths in U.S.

Special District PoliceSpecial District Police Serve particular government agencies, such as colleges and Serve particular government agencies, such as colleges and

universitiesuniversities Tribal PoliceTribal Police

200 agencies to protect Native American tribes200 agencies to protect Native American tribes

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State Law Enforcement AgenciesState Law Enforcement Agencies

State PoliceState Police Share responsibility with local policeShare responsibility with local police Varying degrees of criminal investigation Varying degrees of criminal investigation

responsibility depending on the stateresponsibility depending on the state Highway PatrolHighway Patrol

Enforces traffic laws on the main highwaysEnforces traffic laws on the main highways State Investigative AgenciesState Investigative Agencies

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Federal Law Enforcement AgenciesFederal Law Enforcement Agencies

17 agencies employing 500 or more sworn 17 agencies employing 500 or more sworn officersofficers

Role of each federal agency specified by federal Role of each federal agency specified by federal statutestatute

Federal Law Enforcement Post 9/11/01Federal Law Enforcement Post 9/11/01 Homeland Security ActHomeland Security Act Department of Homeland Security and Department of Department of Homeland Security and Department of

Justice restructuredJustice restructured

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Department of Homeland SecurityDepartment of Homeland Security

Customs and Border ProtectionCustoms and Border Protection Immigration and Customs EnforcementImmigration and Customs Enforcement Federal Emergency Management Federal Emergency Management

AgencyAgency Transportation Security AdministrationTransportation Security Administration U.S. Coast GuardU.S. Coast Guard U.S. Secret ServiceU.S. Secret Service

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Department of JusticeDepartment of Justice

Drug Enforcement AdministrationDrug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of Investigation Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and

ExplosivesExplosives U.S. Marshals ServiceU.S. Marshals Service

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Qualifications for FBIQualifications for FBI

U.S. CitizenU.S. Citizen 23-37 years of age23-37 years of age Four-year College degreeFour-year College degree Vision not worse that 20/200Vision not worse that 20/200 Pass polygraph examinationPass polygraph examination Pass drug testPass drug test Pass interviewPass interview

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The Private Security IndustryThe Private Security Industry

Estimated 90,000 private security organizations Estimated 90,000 private security organizations employing over 2 millionemploying over 2 million

3:1 ratio of private to public police officers in 3:1 ratio of private to public police officers in U.S.U.S.

Different from public organizations because:Different from public organizations because: 1. Focus more on crime1. Focus more on crime 2. More alternatives to addressing problems2. More alternatives to addressing problems 3. More emphasis on crime prevention3. More emphasis on crime prevention 4. Primarily concerned with matters occuring on 4. Primarily concerned with matters occuring on

private propertyprivate property

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Minimum StandardsMinimum Standards No national police system No national police system

or national standardsor national standards

U.S. Supreme CourtU.S. Supreme Court Based on the ConstitutionBased on the Constitution

State GovernmentState Government Licensing or certificationLicensing or certification

AccreditationAccreditation