© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Police in America Chapter Three The Contemporary Law Enforcement Industry.

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Police in AmericaPolice in America

Chapter ThreeChapter Three

The Contemporary Law The Contemporary Law Enforcement IndustryEnforcement Industry

22

Basic Features of American Law Basic Features of American Law EnforcementEnforcement

Local Political Control Local Political Control – Tradition inherited from EnglandTradition inherited from England– Primary responsibility for police protection rests with Primary responsibility for police protection rests with

local governmentslocal governments– Result is a highly fragmented, decentralized system Result is a highly fragmented, decentralized system

for regulating the different agenciesfor regulating the different agencies

Police services provided on 4 different Police services provided on 4 different levelslevels– City, County, State, FederalCity, County, State, Federal

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An “Industry” vs. International An “Industry” vs. International PerspectivePerspective

““Industry” PerspectiveIndustry” Perspective– This approach provides a consumer perspective on This approach provides a consumer perspective on

policingpolicing– Average citizen receive police services from several Average citizen receive police services from several

different agenciesdifferent agencies

International PerspectiveInternational Perspective- - Other countries have less fragmented systemsOther countries have less fragmented systems

- England only has 43 law enforcement agencies and - England only has 43 law enforcement agencies and Japan has 47Japan has 47

Their national governments provides a significant part of their local Their national governments provides a significant part of their local agency’s budgetsagency’s budgets

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Components of the American Law Components of the American Law Enforcement IndustryEnforcement Industry

Private securityPrivate security– Private security firmsPrivate security firms– Security personnelSecurity personnel

Government AgenciesGovernment Agencies– LocalLocal

Municipal policeMunicipal police County PoliceCounty Police County sheriffsCounty sheriffs

– StateState State policeState police Bureaus of criminal investigationBureaus of criminal investigation

– FederalFederal Federal law enforcement agenciesFederal law enforcement agencies Military law enforcementMilitary law enforcement

– Special district policeSpecial district police Public schools, Transit police, college and university policePublic schools, Transit police, college and university police

– Native American tribal policeNative American tribal police

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Size and Scope of Law Size and Scope of Law EnforcementEnforcement

17,876 law enforcement agencies in U.S.17,876 law enforcement agencies in U.S.– Myth: 1967 PCC incorrectly reported there were 40,000Myth: 1967 PCC incorrectly reported there were 40,000

12,766 local police departments12,766 local police departments 3,067 Sheriff’s departments3,067 Sheriff’s departments 49 State Police Agencies49 State Police Agencies 1,481 special police agencies1,481 special police agencies 65 Federal agencies 65 Federal agencies 731,903 full-time sworn officers employed by 731,903 full-time sworn officers employed by

local and state agencies in 2004local and state agencies in 2004 Civilianization: Today, about 33 percent of all Civilianization: Today, about 33 percent of all

local police department employees are civilianslocal police department employees are civilians

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Employment by state and local Employment by state and local law enforcementlaw enforcement

Local police

Sheriff

State police

Special police

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Basic Sources on Law Enforcement Basic Sources on Law Enforcement AgenciesAgencies

The most comprehensive source of data on American law The most comprehensive source of data on American law enforcement agencies is the report from the Bureau of enforcement agencies is the report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Justice Statistics (BJS), Law Enforcement Management Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statisticsand Administrative Statistics..

The most recent report is for 1999; BJS intends to conduct The most recent report is for 1999; BJS intends to conduct new surveys every 2-3 years.new surveys every 2-3 years.

Additional data can be found in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Additional data can be found in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), published annually.Reports (UCR), published annually.

Many law enforcement agencies now maintain their own Many law enforcement agencies now maintain their own website, which provides information about organizational website, which provides information about organizational structure and current programs.structure and current programs.

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Contemporary Law EnforcementContemporary Law Enforcement

Sworn officers vs. total Sworn officers vs. total number of employeesnumber of employees

CivilianizationCivilianization

Police-population ratioPolice-population ratio Officers per 1,000 Officers per 1,000

populationpopulation

CostCost LaborLabor

Municipal policeMunicipal police 78% of all law enforcement 78% of all law enforcement

officersofficers

County SheriffCounty Sheriff Law enforcementLaw enforcement CourtsCourts CorrectionsCorrections

StateState State police - full serviceState police - full service Highway PatrolHighway Patrol

Private SecurityPrivate Security Over 2,000,000 people Over 2,000,000 people

employedemployed

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The Fragmentation IssueThe Fragmentation Issue Lack of coordination between agenciesLack of coordination between agencies Crime displacementCrime displacement Duplication of servicesDuplication of services Inconsistent standardsInconsistent standards AlternativeAlternative

ConsolidationConsolidation ContractingContracting

However, the problem may not be as serious as However, the problem may not be as serious as some have arguedsome have argued The PSS concluded that small police departments were not The PSS concluded that small police departments were not

necessarily less efficient than large departmentsnecessarily less efficient than large departments Small departments put more officers on the street Small departments put more officers on the street

performing direct police servicesperforming direct police services

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Types of AgenciesTypes of Agencies

Municipal policeMunicipal police – – represent 71 percent of all law represent 71 percent of all law enforcement agencies, handle serious crime, and enforcement agencies, handle serious crime, and provide emergency servicesprovide emergency services

County police-County police- Municipal police that operate on a Municipal police that operate on a county wide basis, constitute 1 percentcounty wide basis, constitute 1 percent

SheriffsSheriffs- - Responsibilities defined in state constitution, Responsibilities defined in state constitution, elected position, serve all three components of criminal elected position, serve all three components of criminal justice system: law enforcement, courts, and correctionsjustice system: law enforcement, courts, and corrections

1111

Other Local AgenciesOther Local Agencies The ConstableThe Constable

– Role defined by state constitutionRole defined by state constitution– Typically work within county court systemTypically work within county court system

The Coroner/Medical ExaminerThe Coroner/Medical Examiner– Have responsibility to investigate crimesHave responsibility to investigate crimes– Coroners are not trained physicians and are elected to their Coroners are not trained physicians and are elected to their

positionposition– Medical Examiners are appointed and receive special trainingMedical Examiners are appointed and receive special training– Investigate 20 percent of death in U.S.Investigate 20 percent of death in U.S.

Special District PoliceSpecial District Police– Serve particular government agencies, such as colleges and Serve particular government agencies, such as colleges and

universitiesuniversities Tribal PoliceTribal Police

– 200 agencies to protect Native American tribes200 agencies to protect Native American tribes

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State Law Enforcement AgenciesState Law Enforcement Agencies

State PoliceState Police– Share responsibility with local policeShare responsibility with local police– Varying degrees of criminal investigation Varying degrees of criminal investigation

responsibility depending on the stateresponsibility depending on the state Highway PatrolHighway Patrol

– Enforces traffic laws on the main highwaysEnforces traffic laws on the main highways State Investigative AgenciesState Investigative Agencies

1313

Federal Law Enforcement AgenciesFederal Law Enforcement Agencies

17 agencies employing 500 or more sworn 17 agencies employing 500 or more sworn officersofficers

Role of each federal agency specified by federal Role of each federal agency specified by federal statutestatute

Federal Law Enforcement Post 9/11/01Federal Law Enforcement Post 9/11/01 Homeland Security ActHomeland Security Act Department of Homeland Security and Department of Department of Homeland Security and Department of

Justice restructuredJustice restructured

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Department of Homeland SecurityDepartment of Homeland Security

Customs and Border ProtectionCustoms and Border Protection Immigration and Customs EnforcementImmigration and Customs Enforcement Federal Emergency Management Federal Emergency Management

AgencyAgency Transportation Security AdministrationTransportation Security Administration U.S. Coast GuardU.S. Coast Guard U.S. Secret ServiceU.S. Secret Service

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Department of JusticeDepartment of Justice

Drug Enforcement AdministrationDrug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of Investigation Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and

ExplosivesExplosives U.S. Marshals ServiceU.S. Marshals Service

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Qualifications for FBIQualifications for FBI

U.S. CitizenU.S. Citizen 23-37 years of age23-37 years of age Four-year College degreeFour-year College degree Vision not worse that 20/200Vision not worse that 20/200 Pass polygraph examinationPass polygraph examination Pass drug testPass drug test Pass interviewPass interview

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The Private Security IndustryThe Private Security Industry

Estimated 90,000 private security organizations Estimated 90,000 private security organizations employing over 2 millionemploying over 2 million

3:1 ratio of private to public police officers in 3:1 ratio of private to public police officers in U.S.U.S.

Different from public organizations because:Different from public organizations because:– 1. Focus more on crime1. Focus more on crime– 2. More alternatives to addressing problems2. More alternatives to addressing problems– 3. More emphasis on crime prevention3. More emphasis on crime prevention– 4. Primarily concerned with matters occuring on 4. Primarily concerned with matters occuring on

private propertyprivate property

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Minimum StandardsMinimum StandardsNo national police system or No national police system or

national standardsnational standards

U.S. Supreme CourtU.S. Supreme Court Based on the ConstitutionBased on the Constitution

State GovernmentState Government Licensing or certificationLicensing or certification

AccreditationAccreditation