Police services are one of the three primary emergency services, along with fire and EMS.
The police are part of a public organization responsible for preventing and detecting crime and maintaining public order. Police are constituted bodies of individuals empowered by federal, state, and municipalities to enforce the law, protect property, and limit civil disorder. Their function is known as policing.
While the police are also known as law enforcement officers (LEOs), law enforcement is only a part of their duties. Although, within the United States, the Supreme Court has ruled that the police are not required to protect and serve the public or provide medical aid, these functions are generally a part of what they do regularly. However, this will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Police also write traffic tickets and may be involved in enforcing other regulations and policies. However, the police enforcement of policies, as opposed to laws, is controversial.
The role of the police has become controversial and, to some extent, always has been. Detractors cite varying degrees of corruption, authoritarianism, and brutality on the part of individual police officers, and, at times, these were found to be institutional.
Depending on the jurisdiction, specific function, and other matters, a police force may be referred to as a police department, a law enforcement agency, a police service, constabulary, crime prevention unit, protective services, marshalls, agents, detectives, gendarmerie, civil guard, civic guard, and perhaps some others. Individual members may be called police officers, troopers, sheriffs, deputies, constables, rangers, or peace officers.
In some jurisdictions, conservation officers are considered law enforcement officers, as they enforce hunting and fishing laws and other functions. Depending on the jurisdiction, they may have full police powers. Conservation officers may be referred to as game wardens, fish and game wardens, park rangers, wilderness officers, wildlife officers, wildlife troopers, forest guards, forest watchers, foresters, gamekeepers, and other terms.
Of course, there are also a lot of slang terms that are used to refer to the police. We won't get into them here, but one of the oldest, cop, has evolved into a common term used by the public and the police to refer to those in the profession.
Law enforcement is a significant duty of the police, who act to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing those who violate laws, which are the rules and norms governing society. The police, court system, and correctional services may operate independently or collectively, but they are all involved in law enforcement services.
Law enforcement agencies are limited to operating within a specific jurisdiction, and within the United States, they are organized into three primary levels: national, regional, and municipal. There are federal, state, and local police and sheriff departments. Some territories may have only national-level law enforcement in Canada, while Canadian provinces may have national, provincial, and municipal police.
At the national level, multiple agencies might function at the same level but with differing focuses. Examples include the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the DEA focusing on the enforcement of narcotics laws, while the ATF focuses on the regulation of weapons. Most federal agencies have their own police departments, including the Postal Service.
At other levels of society, various elements have their own law enforcement agencies. The military has the military police, many schools have campus police, and airports have airport police. Private police may serve other entities, such as airports and railroads.
Another function of the police is crime prevention. This is an attempt to deter criminals and reduce the levels of crime. These functions may also apply to cybercrime and cybercriminals, as well as sexual abuse and sex offenders.
Criminal investigation is often carried out by specially trained members of police agencies, and those who have been promoted to this level might be known as investigators or detectives. Criminal investigation is an applied science that involves the study of facts that are subsequently used in criminal trials. This might include searching, interviews, interrogations, collecting and preserving evidence, and other methods of investigation, including forensic science.
Active in some jurisdictions around the world, a gendarmerie is a military force with law enforcement duties within the civilian population. For example, in France, the gendarmerie is considered a branch of the armed forces responsible for internal security in parts of the country, primarily in rural areas and small towns without police services.
Recommended Resources
Sponsored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the site offers information on careers in law enforcement. General information about policing is provided, including the skills and abilities required for the job, the basic requirements and disqualifiers, as well as an overview of the hiring process, such as the basic application, written exams, video exams, physical fitness tests, background investigations, drug testing, psychological testing, and others.
https://www.discoverpolicing.org/
FBI Resources for Law Enforcement
Hosted on the official website of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, the site offers information and resources relating to the Office of Partner Engagement, as well as access to various informational tools, science, and laboratory information available to law enforcement, as well as its Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS), and a list of training opportunities the FBI offers to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners.
https://le.fbi.gov/
Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the FOP is a fraternal organization of law enforcement officers in the United States, with members organized into more than two thousand local chapters (lodges), state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge. The FOP is involved in activities designed to improve working and safety conditions for its members through education, legislation, information, community involvement, and employee representation, which are highlighted here.
https://fop.net/
Founded by a former U.S. Special Agent, Joseph Libowsky, the focus of this site is to provide resources for people wanting a career in law enforcement or who might want to change or advance their career in the field. Job openings may be posted on the site or viewed, and information on preparing for the written exam for various law enforcement positions, including practice exams, is set forth, along with study guides, informational articles, podcasts, and local law enforcement agencies.
https://golawenforcement.com/
International Union of Police Associations
The IUPA claims to be the only union chartered exclusively for law enforcement and law enforcement support personnel. The organization works to improve legislation designed to protect and positively affect public safety officers, representing the needs of law enforcement officers and support personnel. Member benefits, member discounts, and other member products are outlined, and information from its legal and legislative departments is included, along with contacts.
https://iupa.org/
National Association of Police Organizations
Representing police and law enforcement officers, police unions, and local police officer associations, NAPO was founded in 1978. The organization sponsors the Top Cop Award for outstanding achievements by individual police officers, for which it receives nominations from fellow police officers. NAPO also publishes booklets on its legislative priorities and official positions they have taken on bills before the U.S. Congress. Membership information and contacts are posted.
https://www.napo.org/
The NPA is a non-profit organization founded to educate supporters of law enforcement on how to help police departments meet their goals. Supported through contributions from individuals and organizations, The organization is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and has fundraising offices in Stafford, Texas. Legal filings, PSAs, and other documents may be downloaded from the site, and several news and informational articles are included, and contact information is included.
https://nationalpolice.org/
National Sheriffs' Association
Chartered in 1940, the NSA is a professional association serving the Office of Sheriff and its affiliates through law enforcement education and training and representing sheriffs, deputies, and other law enforcement, public safety professionals, and concerned citizens nationally. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, the NSA offers police training, police information, court security training, jail information, and other services to its membership. Certifications and training are highlighted.
https://www.sheriffs.org/
With forty-three states and forty-six associations represented, the NTC claims to be the largest national enforcement association specifically representing state-level law enforcement. The organization works to encourage cooperation between state police associations throughout the country, promote professionalism, disseminate factual data for collective bargaining and lobbying, and assist member associations in training and benefits. Member information is provided.
https://www.nationaltroopers.org/
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) is the statutory staff association for police constables, sergeants, inspectors, chief inspectors, and special constables in the forty-three territorial police forces in England and Wales. Established in 1919, the organization represents officers and influences the policing agenda. Its campaigns, agendas, events, and other programs are set forth, along with organizational contacts, resources, and publications.
https://www.polfed.org/
