1 / 26

The POLICE

The POLICE . Gatekeepers to the CJ system HIGH VISIBILITY HIGH DISCRETION Tension between wanting “effective” police and respecting individual freedom. Precursors to Modern Police. England (the “frankpledge”) Pledge system Hundreds  “constable” Shires  “shire reeve”

evan
Download Presentation

The POLICE

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The POLICE • Gatekeepers to the CJ system • HIGH VISIBILITY • HIGH DISCRETION • Tension between wanting “effective” police and respecting individual freedom

  2. Precursors to Modern Police • England (the “frankpledge”) • Pledge system • Hundreds “constable” • Shires  “shire reeve” • Changes in the 13th Century • Night Watchmen • Justice of Peace

  3. Early American Law Enforcement • Followed the English Model • County Sheriff most prominent • Many duties • Paid by a “fee system” • In larger cities • Night Watchmen • Town Marshal

  4. The Birth of Modern Policing • England, 1829 • Sir Robert PeelLondon Police force of 1,000 officers • Distinctive uniforms, military structure • Led by a “commissioner”

  5. Early American Police Departments • Development of police agencies prompted by mob violence. • Fear of “underclass” by wealthy • Fear of urban street crime produced demands for greater police protection. • First Police Department opened in Boston in 1838 • First Full time = New York City (1844)

  6. Early American Police Departments • Police were incompetent, disliked and corrupt. • Appointed by politicians (who you know…) • Enforcement for reigning political powers • Bust strikes • Control the rising number of foreign immigrants • Brutality common (“Delegated Vigilantism”)

  7. 20th Century American Policing Major movements in policing: • Public concern about police corruption led to reform efforts • August Vollmer • Technological advancements • telegraph boxes, motorcycles and police cars

  8. Current Law Enforcement—The “FEDS” • The FBI • The Mann Actinvestigators to enforce • Eventually, organized as FBI under Hoover • Responsible for investigating all violations of federal laws that are not covered by other agencies • Bank Robberies • Civil Rights Violations

  9. Other Federal Law Enforcement • The Drug Enforcement Administration • Result of Harrison Act • U.S. Marshals • INS • ATF • Secret Service

  10. Between Federal and Municipal • County Law Enforcement • Sheriffs Office • Responsible for policing non-city areas • State Police • Every state but Hawaii • Power/function depends upon strength of Sheriff

  11. Metropolitan (city) police • Large variation in size • New York City = 36,000 officers • Average city = 50 or fewer officers • Police Departments are typically their own political entity • BUT, chief is appointed by mayor

  12. Functions of the Police • Patrol • Investigation • Administration/Paper work • “Social Work” activities

  13. Functions of the Police • PATROL • Since beginning, police have “patrolled a beat” • Purpose is to DETER crime • KC Preventative Patrol • Directed Patrols or Saturation Patrols • Investigation • Proactive vs. Reactive • Effectiveness?

  14. Investigation • Most Critical = information at crime scene • Bulk of time is spent on reports Clearance Rate

  15. The “Other” police functions • Traffic Control • “Social Work Activities” • Order maintenance, problem solving • James Q Wilson “Handling the Situation” • THE IRONY is that within police departments, the social work function is often considered “bullshit work” • Only 20% of police time involves “real police work”

  16. The Role of PoliceWhat Should Police be Doing? • Traditional Legalistic Model • Patrol and respond to calls • Viewed as “real police work” • The latest reform = “community oriented policing”

  17. Community Oriented Policing • Wilson and Kelling • The “Broken Windows Thesis” • Implication of “broken windows for policing?” • Order Maintenance • Problem Solving

  18. Implementing COP ProgramsThe Practice of COP • Team Policing • Foot Patrols • Community “Sub-stations” • COP Officers Assigned to Neighborhoods • “Order Maintenance” Programs

  19. Problem Oriented Policing • Herman Goldstein coined this term. • Similar to C.O.P.Police should “solve problems” in a particular neighborhood. • Example: NYC Domestic Violence Program • Crime Specific “Crackdowns” • Targeting Crime “Hot spots”

  20. Effectiveness of C.O.P. or Problem Orientated Policing • Effectiveness Sketchy at Best • Some C.O.P. programs have improved community relations and reduced fear of crime. • Some Problem Oriented Policing programs have suppressed/reduced crime in certain locations. • Order Maintenance crackdowns have strained community-police relations in some areas (Amadou Diallo Case)

  21. Police and the Rule of Law • Procedural Laws in Policing • Miranda rights • Search and Seizure • Police Use of Force

  22. Search and Seizure • In order to search people, cars, or homes, police generally need a warrant • Exceptions • Incident to Arrest • “Stop and Frisk” • Automobile Search • Consent Search • “Plain View”

  23. Police Use of Force • Coercive Force is a Part of Policing • How much force is necessary in a situation? • Most “use of force” is non-lethal • “Brutality” estimates vary • RACIAL?? • The use of Deadly Force • Tennessee v. Garner (1985) “Fleeing Felon”

  24. The “Police personality”? • The Stereotype = cynnical, racist, conservative, hostile • Empirical Evidence not Clear • Explaining the “police personality” • Individual traits • Socialization Effect (more support)

  25. Police only arrest a small % of all suspects…which ones? Legal Factors “Extra-Legal” Factors Race?? (SR vs. NCVS), Victim may matter more DWB, the “war on drugs” Van Mannen “The Asshole” Situational (intimacy, complainant's preference) Police Discretion

  26. Corruption • Reiss (1966) • 20% of police engaged in at least one act of corruption • Knapp Commission (1973) • Serpico • “Meat eaters” and “Grass eaters” • Police “scandals” still common • Texas drug scandal

More Related