This paper examines the organization of the police department including the various types of police agencies at the local, state, and federal level and how each is organized. I also examine the principal roles and functions of police organizations and their role as applicable to the law. The final section identifies and briefly explores the major organizational theories associated with policing.
Police Department Organization:
The local, state, and federal agencies are part of the criminal justice system that focuses on dealing with the problem of crime. The main components of the criminal justice system at all levels of government include police, courts, and corrections that deter or prevent criminal activities through arresting, trying and punishing criminals respectively. The local, state, and federal agencies have different functions that are geared towards the enforcement of laws and provision of security. The police departments in these levels of government are public agencies with the purposes of maintaining order, provide services, and implement the criminal law. Generally, the police departments and personnel work in the community to thwart and control crime.
Types of Police Agencies at Every Level of Government:
There are many different kinds of law enforcement or police agencies including the small town police departments to the huge federal police agencies. However, these police agencies and departments are organized similarly with their main difference being their jurisdiction. The various types of police agencies at the local, state, and federal level and their organization are explained below:
Local Police Agencies:
The local police agencies are the common and most visible departments since the municipal police officers are common as they represent villages, townships, and cities (Harkins, 2011). The major difference between these police agencies and the others in the state and federal levels is that they act as the initial enforcement of all criminal laws. In most cases, the officers in these agencies are supported by support staffs like dispatchers, detectives, and jailers in addition to the limitation of their activities in the jurisdiction they are assigned to.
State Police Agencies:
The state police agencies are based in the county and established by county voters in many states across America. However, sheriffs and their deputies are normally mandated with the task of patrolling an area within the state and federal routes and un-policed municipalities. Similar to the local police agencies, the state police officers usually find themselves implementing the local, state, or federal criminal laws on the front lines. The state police agencies have highway patrol officers, drug task forces, executive departments, and specialized enforcement departments.
Federal Police Agencies:
There are various types of law enforcement agents that are employed by the federal government to enforce laws and policies. Some of the law enforcement agents at the federal level include the support staff for agencies and special agents. The federal police agencies don't implement the local or state laws though they tip off the appropriate local or state authorities in the case of a suspicious activity.
Principal Roles and Functions of Police Organizations:
Similar to teaching and medicine, policing is one of the few professions that have a direct and intimate link with social change, social life, and social progress (Stevens, 2005). Some of the most commonly known functions of the police include creating and maintaining a sense of security within the society, preventing and controlling activities that threaten security, and identifying potentially harmful problems. However, the two most common roles of police organizations are information gathering and unquestionable use of force. Information gathering is regarded as a natural part of the role of the police because of their direct involvement with citizens whereas the police use unquestionable force to get down to business
Moreover, there are several functions of police organizations including moral enforcement, order maintenance, class control, riot control, service to citizens, crime fighting and ensuring safety. These roles and functions of police organizations are applicable to the law in terms of ensuring the safety of citizens from any threats to their lives and property.
Organizational Theories Related to Policing:
Most of the theories of police administration that govern their operations are derived from several fields like public and business administration. Consequently, policing functions are based on several organizational theories that are geared towards ensuring the effectiveness of the police agencies. Some of the major organizational theories associated with policing include the sociological, educational, psychological, and organizational theories.
Organizational theory is associated with policing because of its link in the establishment of professional structures, administration, and control based administration of the police agencies ("Administration of Police Agencies," n.d.). The theory is applied to ensure that the agencies focus on enhancing the performance of their officers by providing leadership and attending to the needs of these officers. On the other hand, educational theories are associated with policing because of the need for these operations to be guided by knowledge. The psychological and sociological organizational theories are associated with policing because of the fact that police officers are directly involved with citizens to ensure and promote public safety.
You’re 86% through this paper. Sign up to read the full paper.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.