U2- The Role Of The Police In Tackling Crime Flashcards
Name the 4 main roles of the police
To:
Protect the public
Ensure law and order is maintained in society
Detect criminals
Prevent crime
When did police Scotland come into force?
It came into being in April 2013
What is Police Scotland?
The second largest police force in the U.K. After the Metropolitan police
It is a merger of the 8 Scottish police forces and includes the Scottish Police College and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency
How many local divisions are there within Police Scotland?
There are 14 local policing divisions each headed by a Local Police Commander who ensures that local policing in each area is responsive, accountable and tailored to meet local needs
Give an example of effective policing
Preventing crime before it happens
How are the police preventing knife- crime?
The Scottish government in 2012 increased the maximum sentence for those found carrying a knife from 4 years to 5
Campaigns such as No Knives Better Lives educate young people on the dangers of carrying a knife
Wide use of Stop and Search by police also discourages young people from carrying knives. However in 2014 police Scotland stated that routine stop and searches of young people would now end
Have crimes of handling an offensive weapon gone down?
Yes, crimes of handling an offensive weapon have fallen dramatically in Scotland by 67% in Glasgow and 60% in Scotland since 2006-07 according to the daily record
Describe community policing
Working with the community reflects the view that policing is a partnership with local citizens
This should help the public feel safer and have greater confidence in the police which will lead to a drop in crime
However it was revealed in 2014 that police regularly carry handguns whilst on patrol, this was criticised by some MSPs as they argue this weakens community policing and is a step towards the militarisation of the police
What is the VRU?
The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) helps to reduce violent crime in Scotland.
In 2010 it achieved great success with a community initiative to reduce violence in Glasgow, cutting gang crime by over 50%
