Chapter 4 notes pt. 1 Flashcards
What are the four basic responsibilities of the police?
- To enforce laws
- To provide services
- to prevent crime
- to preserve the peace
The function of the police is to solve any problem that may ___________, though not ___________, require the use of force.
possibly
necessarily
What are examples of police officers providing services?
- directing traffic
- performing emergency medical procedures
- counseling those involved in domestic disputes
- providing directions to tourists
- finding lost children.
along with _________, police officers are among the first public servants called to conduct _______ and ______ operations.
firefighters
search
rescue
what is community policing?
an adopted strategy that requires officers to provide assistance in areas that are not, at first glance, directly related to law enforcement
What are the two predictable public responses when crime rates begin to rise in the community?
- To punish convicted criminals with stricter laws and more severe penalties
- To demand that the police keep crimes from occurring in the first place
James Q. Wilson believes that _______________________ is the most important role of law enforcement officers.
preserving the peace
“cracking down” on the ______ crimes will prevent _______ crimes in the future.
minor
serious
Both the public and law enforcement officers themselves believe that the police’s primary job is to _________ laws.
enforce
A large and crucial part of policing, however, involves providing _________ such as directing traffic.
services
The ability of the police to actually __________ crime is a matter of great debate, and some experts believe that the most important role of a police officer is to ________ the peace.
prevent
preserve
___________ became the first American city to employ both day and night watchmen.
Philadelphia
In the political era of policing, how did police officers receive their jobs?
police officers received their jobs as a result of political connections
During the political era of policing, the police were often more concerned with serving the interests of the ________ ______ than with__________ the citizens.
political bosses
protecting
How did the professionalism trend benefited law enforcement agencies?
- salaries and working conditions improved
- women and minorities were given opportunities-albeit limited- to serve
- police adminstrations controlled officers to a much greater extent than in the past
Which policing strategy happened between the 1840’s and 1930’s?
The Political Era
Which policing strategy happened between the 1930’s and 1980’s?
The Return Era
Which policing strategy happened between the 1980’s and 2000’s?
The Community Era
What was the primary focus of each policing ear?
- The Political Era focused on providing range of social services to citizenry.
- The Reform Era focused on controlling crime.
- The Community Era focused continuing to control crime while providing a broader range of social services.
What type of organization did each policing strategy have?
- The Political Era was decentralized.
- The Reform Era was centralized.
- The Community
Era was decentralized, with specialized units and task forces.
What was the police-community relationship in each policing strategy?
- The Political Era was intimate.
- The Reform Era was professional and distant.
- The Community Era returned to intimacy.
What are the weaknesses of each policing era?
The weakness of the Political Era is widespread police corruption and brutality.
The weakness of the Reform Era is lack of communication with citizens fostered mistrust and community violence (riots).
The weakness of the Community Era is an over reliance on police officers to solve all of society’s problems.
During the ________ era of American policing, which lasted roughly from 1840 to 1930, police officers used the _______ system to enrich themselves.
political
patronage
The ________ era, which followed, saw the modernization of our nation’s law enforcement system through innovations like Vollmer and Wilson’s _________ model of policing.
reform
professional
Following the national turmoil of the 1960’s and early 1970s, _______ era strategies encouraged a partnership between citizens and the police.
community
Today, _______-led policing efforts attempt to make law enforcement agencies more efficient and better able to prevent future _______ attacks.
intelligence
terrorist
What are some of the basic requirements to become a police officer?
- be a U.S. citizen
- not have been convicted of a felony
- have or be eligible to have a driver’s license in the state where the department is located
- be at least 21 years of age
- meet weight & eyesight requirements
What kind of tests are involved in background checks to become a police officer?
- drug tests
- review of their applicant’s education, military, and driving records
- credit checks
- interviews with spouses, acquaintances, and previous employers
- a background search for a criminal record
In terms of educational requirements, a majority of police departments require at least a ____ _______ diploma, and a minority of them require a degree from a ____-_____ college.
high school
two-year
Most police agencies require that recruits be at least ____ years of age and have no prior _________ convictions.
21
felony
During the ________ period, which can last as long as eighteen months, a recruit will attend a ________ _________ to learn the rules of police work in an institutional setting.
probationary
police academy
Then, she or he will leave the classroom and partner with an experienced officer for _________ ________.
field training
