Law Enforcement Agency Organizational Chart Flashcards
Police Organization Structure & the Role of Police
What is the backbone of any local police department?
The Uniform Patrol Division (city and county)
What are the three major branches of ANY police department that fall directly under the chief or sheriff?
PATROL, INVESTIGATIONS, and ADMINISTRATION.
What are three governmental levels of law enforcement agencies?
City police and county sheriff (local), highway patrol and DCI (state), and others such as FBI, DEA, BATFE, and US (federal).
How many of the states don’t have sheriff departments, and which ones are they?
Four states which include: Alaska, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Hawaii.
Why are the sheriff departments unique?
They handle the jail and serve processes (civil and criminal) and are responsible for courthouse security.
(T/F) Controlling crime is easy.
False, it is not. It is referred to as the Impossible Mandate because we expect police to control crime, yet they have no control over the conditions that cause crime.
Why are crime control measures like SQF (stop, question, frisk) controversial?
They create distrust of the police due to racial disparities and in some cases are unconstitutional.
(T/F) Deterrence is a theory that may or may not happen.
True.
Police use of force is controversial and excessive force results…?
A break of the social contract and distrust of the police. Deadly force leads to protests and riots in some communities, especially communities of color.
Police are often called to manage people dealing with ____ and have been criticized for what regarding ___?
Mental illnesses. They have also been highly criticized for using deadly force against mental subjects.
What part of the recommendations of police reform is to do what in response in place of police on calls dealing with mental subjects?
Create a crisis management team.
Can the way we measure police success (SQF statistics, arrest statistics) be beneficial?
No, it actually may not measure success in reducing crime and can increase community distrust.
(T/F) Police reform is coming, and in some areas it has already arrived.
True.
What are the four basic responsibilities of the police?
- enforce laws
- provide services
- prevent crimes
- preserve the peace
What’s an example of a local law enforcement agency?
Police, sheriff, or tribal police.
What’s an example of a state law enforcement agency?
highway patrol, bureau of investigations, DCI, or U.S. Marshals.
What’s an example of a federal law enforcement agency?
FBI, U.S. Secret Senice, Border Patrol.
What is police discretion?
Allows police to make decisions based on their oun experience and opinion rather than following strict rules.
What are the 3 primary purposes of police patrol?
- patrol
- investigations
- administration
What is differential response?
This strategy allows a police department to distiguish among calls for service so that officers can respond to important calls more quickly
What is problem-oriented policing?
A strategy that addresses the root causes of crime and disorder rather than just responding to incidents.
What does Graham vs. Connor establish?
Establishes that the reasonableness of force is judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene.
What is the difference between random patrols and directed patrols?
Random patrols are officer-dedicated and disorganized or unplanned, while directed patrols are like saturation patrols; they are thought-out and usually revolve around hot spots.
What is the difference between proactive and reactive police responses?
Reactive policing involves responding to calls for service after a crime has occurred, while proactive policing focuses on preventing crime before it happens.
Why is crime mapping so important?
Crime mapping helps law enforcement agencies identify crime patterns and hot spots, allocate resources effectively, and make data-driven decisions to improve public safety.
What’s examples of proactive policing?
With strategies like targeted inventions or increased patrols.
How can a Use of Force incident negatively impact your police department?
Can do so by eroding public trust and creating community tension
What is a hot spot and what techniques are used to reduce crime in a crime ridden area?
What is community policing?
How do police department maintain accountability?
