CHP 4 Flashcards
What are the three major tasks of policing?
- Crime Control: Responding to and investigating crimes, patrolling to prevent offenses.
- Order Maintenance: Managing public peace, including protests and disputes.
- Crime Prevention and Service: Working with communities to prevent crime and offering services where other support systems are lacking.
How have police responsibilities evolved over time?
Police responsibilities have expanded beyond law enforcement to include crime prevention, community engagement, and addressing social issues like mental health, addiction, and homelessness, a concept referred to as core policing.
What is the historical mandate of early police forces in Canada, and how were they influenced by politics?
Early police forces focused on maintaining moral order, managing conflicts, and apprehending criminals. Politics and patronage heavily influenced early policing, with political figures often controlling appointments and priorities.
Why are Peel’s principles important for police legitimacy?
Peel’s principles, like preventing crime, securing public cooperation, and minimizing the use of force, establish trust between the police and the public, ensuring police actions are legitimate and effective.
What are the four levels of policing in Canada?
- Federal (RCMP),
- Provincial (e.g., OPP, SQ),
- Municipal,
- Indigenous police services.
Additionally, private security and parapolice forces play supplementary roles.
What makes the structure of contemporary policing in Canada complex?
The structure involves multiple levels (federal, provincial, municipal, Indigenous) and integration with private security, special constables, and community safety officers, leading to intricate jurisdictional overlaps and cooperation challenges.
What police forces operate in British Columbia and the Comox Valley?
The RCMP provides provincial and local policing services in many parts of British Columbia, including the Comox Valley, alongside municipal police forces in larger urban areas.
What are the basic and preferred qualifications to become a police officer in Canada?
Basic qualifications include Canadian citizenship, being 19 or older, physical fitness, and a Grade 12 education. Preferred qualifications include post-secondary education, multilingual abilities, and community service experience.
What are the issues related to diversity in policing, and how are they being addressed?
Police services struggle with underrepresentation of women, Indigenous peoples, and minorities. Efforts to address this include targeted recruitment programs, mentorship academies, and initiatives like uniforms accommodating religious attire.
How are RCMP officers and municipal police officers in British Columbia trained?
RCMP officers train at a national depot in Regina for six months, followed by field training. Municipal police in BC train at the Justice Institute of BC, alternating between academy and field-based learning.
What are “The Working Personality of Police” and “The Blue Wall of Silence”?
The working personality involves traits like suspicion and preoccupation with danger, while the Blue Wall of Silence refers to the protective secrecy among officers, making it difficult to address misconduct and transparency issues.
What are the physical and mental dangers of police work?
Police work involves physical risks like injury and mental dangers like PTSD, depression, and burnout, exacerbated by exposure to violence, high-stress situations, and long hours.
What causes contemporary social ambivalence toward the police?
Incidents of excessive force, racial profiling, systemic racism, and the militarization of police have led to a mix of trust and suspicion from the public toward law enforcement.
What is the difference between the social contract perspective and the radical perspective of policing?
The social contract perspective views police as neutral enforcers of law for public safety, while the radical perspective sees police as tools of the state to maintain the power of the ruling class and suppress dissent.
What concerns led to the Defund the Police Movement?
Concerns include excessive force, systemic racism, misuse of funds, and the overextension of police into areas like mental health, where other services might be more appropriate.
