Chapter 4 - Structure & Role of Police Flashcards
Policing
the activities of any individual or organization acting legally on behalf of public or private organizations or persons to maintain security or social order
pluralization of policing
expansion of policing beyond the public police to include parapolice and private security
2 perspectives on police role
Social contract:
- Act primarily to enforce the law and protect the public
- Neutral force using its power to enforce the laws in the limits of the rules
- Protective force against crime and social disorder
Radical perspective:
- Police support the government and support the interest of the ruling class
- Police is not politically neutral
- Repressive force
the Law of Commission of Canada identified what 4 key values of police work?
Justice – maintain peace and security in the community while ensuring individuals are treated fairly and human rights are respected
Equality – all citizens are entitled to policing services that contribute to their feelings of safety and security
Accountability – the actions of police services and officers are subject to review
Efficiency – policing services must be cost-effective
early policing by Sir Robert Peel
- First full-time professional policing was created in London in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel
- Introduced concept of community police stations
- Prior to this, policing was a community responsibility, everyone responsible for their neighbors
- No equality of rights
- Peel formulated principles for law enforcement, which are viewed as the basis for policing
- The new police were to be proactive rather than reactive and were to engage in crime prevention activities
evolution of policing
The early municipal police forces generally had a 3-part mandate:
- To police conflicts between ethnic groups, and between labourers and their employers
- To maintain moral standards by enforcing laws against drunkenness, prostitution, and gambling
- To apprehend criminals
Early municipal police forces were heavily influenced by politics and patronage
- The North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) was founded in 1873 to maintain law and order in the northwest territories
- it had internal difficulties and was resented by both settlers and federal legislators
- later replaced by the RCMP
policing today in Canada
- Policing is the largest component of the CJS
- The number of police officers (199 per 100,000 population) is lower than in other international jurisdictions, including Scotland, England and Wales, and the US
- The number of police officers in Canada has declined in recent years
- Diversity in police services is increasing slowly
- The number of women police is now 1 in 5
- The number of civilians working in police services, particularly at the managerial level, continues to increase
structure of policing
4 levels:
- Federal
- Provincial
- Regional and municipal
- Indigenous
In addition, there are private security and parapolice services
royal canadian mounted police
- RCMP enforces most federal statutes and provision of various legislative acts
- About 60% of its personnel are involved in contract policing - an arrangement whereby the RCMP and provincial police forces provide provincial and municipal policing services
The RCMP has 15 divisions, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act provides the framework for the force’s operations
provincial police
Three provincial police forces:
- Ontario provincial police (OPP) – focus on admin work, focuses on smaller communities
- Surete du Quebec (SQ) – more focused on admin work
- Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC)
- Responsible for policing rural areas and areas outside municipalities and cities
- Enforce provincial laws and the Criminal Code
- Aside from Ontario, Quebec, and certain parts of Newfoundland, the RCMP provides provincial policing under contract with provincial governments
regional police
Serve multiple communities with a geographical region
- More effective at providing a full range of policing services to communities
- Less expensive than having a number of independent municipal departments
- With the exception of Indigenous regional police services, this may be too centralized and not offer the opportunity for effective community policing
municipal police
- Enforce the Criminal Code, provincial statutes, municipal bylaws, as well as certain federal statutes such as the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
- Have jurisdiction within a city’s boundaries
- Municipal police officers constitute the largest body of police personnel in the country
indigenous police
- Within the framework of the federal First Nations Policing Program (FNPP)
- Autonomous, reserve-based police force
- Indigenous officers from the RCMP or OPP
- Full powers to enforce the criminal code, federal and provincial statutes, and band bylaws on reserve lands
legislative framework
- Police officers carry out their tasks within a number of legislative frameworks that define their roles, powers, and responsibilities
- The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the most impactful on the powers and activities of the police
- There is also provincial and municipal legislation, which includes a wide range of statutes such as motor vehicle administration acts, highway traffic acts, liquor acts, and provincial/municipal police acts
organization of police forces (6 things)
Operational patrol:
patrol division, canine unit, identification squad, traffic, reserve/auxiliary
Investigative:
general investigation, major crimes, special crimes (sexual offences)
Support services: information, reports, communications centre, victim services, community services
Administrative:
finance and payroll, property office
Human resources: development, recruitment, training
Research and planning: strategic planning, crime analysis, audit
