Topic 6: Role And Effectiveness Of Police Flashcards
How many force areas is the police divided into in England and Wales?
43 total = 39 in England 4 in Wales
Give 2 examples of national law enforcement agencies
- National Crime agency
- British Transport Police
What is the heirachy in the police service?
- Chief constable
- Superintendent
- Inspector
- Sergeant
- Constable
What is the aim of the police?
The aim of the police is to reduce crime and maintain law and order
What statutory powers do the police have and what Act do they come under?
Police have Statutory powers of arrest, detention, search and interview under the Police And Crime Prevention Act 1984
All police forces are responsible for general beat. What is meant by ‘general beat’?
Response to emergency and non emergency calls
Give 4 examples of specialised operation in police forces
- Counterterrorism
- Dog handling
- Firearms
- Drug squad
What are Police Community Support Officers?
PSCOs support the police by providing a visible and reassuring presence on the streets and tackling anti social behaviour
What are special constables?
Special constables are trained volunteers possessing a full range of police powers to provide support to the police
What are Police and Crime Commissioners?
PCCs are regionally elected and aim to cut crime and deliver an effective and efficient police force within their area
How are the police funded?
In England and wales the police funding is mainly from Central Government Grants and Council Tax
What are the evaluation points for the effectiveness of the police? AO3
- legislation limits police powers
- police funding has fell
+ police play a key role in crime prevention and public safety - however failures persist
Evaluate legislation as a limitation of the police AO3
P: a limitation of the police is legislation can limit their powers
E: for example, PACE means that suspects can only be detained briefly so guilty individuals can go free. This is a limitation as this may undermine public confidence in the justice system and victims may feel like criminals aren’t held accountable
Evaluate police funding as a limitation of the police AO3
P: a limitation of the police is that funding has fell.
E: for example, between 2010 and 2019 police funding fell by 19% and 21,000 police left the force, and despite a promise of 20,000 new officers in 2020 numbers still remain below 2010 levels.
E: this is a limitation as criminals operating in financial and cybercrime sectors may exploit these weaknesses, leading to increased economic harm and distrust in policing
Evaluate the key role of the police as a strength AO3
P: a strength of the police is that they play a key role in crime prevention and public safety
E: for example, they issue notices and refer cases to court. Furthermore, independent assessments are made to monitor police performance
E: this is a strength because these efforts help maintain social order, however, their effectiveness depends on adequate funding and public cooperation
Evaluate failures as a limitation of the police AO3
P: a limitation is that Failures persist
E: for example, The macpherson report confirmed institutional racism in the Stephen Lawrence case and an institutional cover up in the hillsborough disaster
E: this is a limitation because such failures damage police legitimacy, leading to calls for reform and greater oversight
