what is the role of police in society essay

The Role of Policing in Modern Society Essay

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With the change of society, people observe changes in policing as well. The development of an improved security system involves community integration with police in a struggle with violence and the achievement of a safer life. In this regard, policing in modern society focuses on community-friendly approaches, including community policing and intelligence-led policing.

First, it is essential to point out that modern policing assumes a close interaction between citizens and police representatives. Second, modern policing has several peculiarities that need to be reflected. According to Wetzel, community policing is “definitely open to improvement and refinement” (6). In other words, not only seasoned police officers but also ordinary people are free to express any assumptions related to security ensuring. This creates a culture of respect for law enforcement and a sense of collaboration.

In the context of community policing, it seems appropriate to note the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) that serves as a paramount public policing program in the USA. Lombardo, Olson, and Staton state that people living in districts with CAPS are more likely to be satisfied with community policing rather than those living in communities without this program (600). The strong community ties appearing due to police efforts are an essential factor in crime prevention.

In its turn, satisfaction with police work leads to the increased quality of life and collective efficacy of people (Lombardo, Olson, and Staton 596). As a result, one might note an increased level of social engagement in ensuring security and public order.

Another tendency of modern policing is foot patrols’ increase. If earlier, the preference was given to car patrols, nowadays, foot patrols play a greater role (Klein par. 17). For instance, police officers look into stores and banks asking about any violations. This strategy promotes the confidence of citizens in the police, attracting more people to collaborate. Some of the officers are even ordered to speak to citizens walking through neighborhood areas (Klein par. 25).

Although police spend some time to become closer to the community, it cannot negatively affect police operation goals. These objectives continue to include ensuring public safety, protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, prevention and detection of crime, assistance, and community services to reduce the level of fear of crime, as well as the prevention of decline and dilapidation of neighborhoods (Gaines and Kappeler 38). At the same time, police and community partnership do provide a more effective strategy for achieving these goals. There is a balance of resolving crimes and foot patrols. In addition, it is very important to note that foot patrols decrease fear of neighborhood disorders and crime.

In his turn, Pieters emphasizes that an intelligence-led policing, namely cameras and other technology, is a guarantee to prevent plenty of crime cases (par. 5). For example, the dispatcher detected the criminal due to the camera installed in Chicago. Also, such an approach would help to save a considerable amount of money in comparison with officers’ costing. In recent research conducted by Carter, Phillips, and Gayadeen, it was stated that “agencies that required personnel to receive intelligence-specific training were more likely to utilize intelligence for decision making” (440). It becomes evident from the above observations that the process of collaboration is supported at both sides, namely, by citizens and police.

To conclude, modern policing is not limited to crime prevention as it also aims at community interaction and collaboration to achieve common goals.

Works Cited

Carter, Jeremy G., Scott W. Phillips, and S. Marlon Gayadeen. “Implementing Intelligence-Led Policing: An Application of Loose-Coupling Theory.” Journal of Criminal Justice 42.6 (2014): 433-442. Print.

Gaines, Larry K., and Victor E. Kappeler. Policing in America . 8th ed. Waltham, MA: Anderson, 2011. Print.

Klein, Allison. “D.C. Police Heeding Calls for Foot Patrols.” Washington Post . The Washington Post. 2007. Web.

Lombardo, Robert M., David Olson, and Monte Staton. “The Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy.” Policing Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management 33.4 (2010): 586-606. Print.

Pieters, Jeffrey. “Intelligence-led policing is future focus in Rochester”. McClatchy-Tribune Business News . N.p., n.d. Web.

Wetzel, Tom. “Community Policing Revisited.” Law & Order 60.4 (2012): 6-7. Print.

• Law Enforcement Technology Group
• Predictors of Job Satisfaction Among Police Officers
• Intelligence–Led Policing
• Shiraz Wines Company Acquires Seasoned Wines Firm
• Inside the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology
• Criminal Justice System: Racial Policy Change
• The Organizational Reasons Police Departments Don’t Change
• The Models of Policing
• Budgeting and the Impact on Law Enforcement
• Discretion, Job Stress, and Other Policing Issues
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Essay on Role of Police

Students are often asked to write an essay on Role of Police in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Role of Police

Introduction.

Police are essential members of our community, ensuring safety and order. Their role is multi-faceted, involving crime prevention, law enforcement, and providing assistance during emergencies.

Crime Prevention

Police play a crucial role in preventing crime. They patrol neighborhoods, monitor suspicious activity, and educate the public about safety measures.

Law Enforcement

As law enforcers, police ensure rules and regulations are followed. They investigate crimes, collect evidence, and help in prosecuting offenders.

Emergency Assistance

In emergencies like accidents or natural disasters, police provide immediate help, rescue people, and manage traffic.

250 Words Essay on Role of Police

The police force plays an essential role in maintaining societal order and peace, ensuring the adherence to laws and safeguarding citizens’ rights. This essay explores the multifaceted role of the police and its significance in modern society.

The primary responsibility of the police is to enforce laws and maintain public order. They ensure that individuals and organizations comply with the law, thereby preventing crime and maintaining a peaceful society.

Crime Prevention and Investigation

Police are instrumental in preventing crimes by conducting patrols, surveillance, and community policing. They also investigate crimes, collect evidence, and apprehend suspects, playing a crucial role in the justice system.

Service to the Community

Police are not just law enforcers but also service providers. They assist in emergencies, provide public safety education, and often act as first responders in crisis situations.

Protection of Rights

The police have a duty to protect citizens’ rights, including the right to life, liberty, and security. They ensure that these rights are not violated and that victims of abuse or discrimination receive justice.

500 Words Essay on Role of Police

The police force plays an indispensable role in maintaining peace and order in society. They are the principal instruments of the state’s law enforcement machinery, whose primary responsibility is to safeguard citizens’ rights and ensure their security.

Enforcement of Law and Order

The police are the first line of defense against any form of disruption to law and order. They enforce laws and regulations to maintain societal balance, ensuring the smooth functioning of daily life. They deal with crimes ranging from petty offenses to serious felonies, taking appropriate measures to investigate, apprehend, and present the offenders before the court of law. Their role in crime prevention is paramount, as they deter potential criminals through their presence and active surveillance.

Protection of Life and Property

Community engagement and public service.

Modern policing emphasizes community engagement. Police officers work closely with communities, fostering relationships of trust and cooperation. They engage in public service activities, conduct awareness programs, and establish open lines of communication with the public. This approach not only enhances their efficacy in crime prevention but also helps in addressing the root causes of crime.

Administration of Justice

The role of the police is critical in the administration of justice. They are responsible for conducting impartial investigations, gathering evidence, and ensuring that justice is served. Their actions directly impact the fairness of the judicial process, making them integral to the functioning of the justice system.

Challenges and Accountability

In conclusion, the role of the police is multifaceted and extends beyond mere law enforcement. They are guardians of societal order, protectors of life and property, community partners, and key players in the administration of justice. However, the realization of their full potential requires addressing the challenges they face and ensuring their actions are governed by accountability and respect for human rights. Through such measures, the police can truly fulfill their mandate of serving and protecting society.

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What Police Are For: A Look Into Role Of The Police In Modern Society

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Barry Friedman, the director of New York University's Policing Project, about the role of the police in modern society.

Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Essay On Police

500 words essay on police.

In this world, we must have laws to maintain peace. Thus, every citizen must follow these laws. However, there are some people in our society who do not follow them and break the laws . In order to keep a check on such kinds of people, we need the police. Through essay on police, we will learn about the role and importance of police.

Importance of Police

The police are entrusted with the duty of maintaining the peace and harmony of a society. Moreover, they also have the right to arrest and control people who do not follow the law. As a result, they are important as they protect our society.

Enforcing the laws of the land, the police also has the right to punish people who do not obey the law. Consequently, we, as citizens, feel safe and do not worry much about our lives and property.

In other words, the police is a saviour of the society which makes the running of society quite smooth. Generally, the police force has sound health. They wear a uniform and carry a weapon, whether a rifle or pistol . They also wear a belt which holds their weapons.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas  

Role of Police

The police play many roles at police stations or check posts. They get a posting in the town or city depending on the crime rate in the area. When public demonstrations and strikes arise, the police plays a decisive role.

Similarly, when they witness the crowd turning violent during protests or public gatherings, it is their responsibility to prevent it from becoming something bigger. Sometimes, they also have to make use of the Lathi (stick) for the same reason.

If things get worse, they also resort to firing only after getting permission from their superiors. In addition, the police also offer special protection to political leaders and VIPs. The common man can also avail this protection in special circumstances.

Thus, you see how the police are always on duty round the clock. No matter what day or festival or holiday, they are always on duty. It is a tough role to play but they play it well. To protect the law is not an easy thing to do.

Similarly, it is difficult to maintain peace but the police manage to do it. Even on cold winter nights or hot summer afternoons, the police is always on duty. Even during the pandemic, the police was on duty.

Thus, they keep an eye on anti-social activities and prevent them at large. Acting as the protector of the weak and poor, the police play an essential role in the smooth functioning of society.

Conclusion of Essay On Police

Thus, the job of the police is very long and tough. Moreover, it also comes with a lot of responsibility as we look up to them for protection. Being the real guardian of the civil society of a nation, it is essential that they perform their duty well.

FAQ on Essay On Police

Question 1: What is the role of police in our life?

Answer 1: The police performs the duties which the law has assigned to them. They are entrusted to protect the public against violence, crime and other harmful acts. As a result, the police must act by following the law to ensure that they respect it and apply it in a manner which matches their level of responsibility.

Question 2: Why do we need police?

Answer 2: Police are important for us and we need it. They protect life and property, enforce criminal law, criminal investigations, regulate traffic, crowd control, public safety duties, search for missing persons, lost property and other duties which concern the public order.-*//**9666666666666666666666+9*63*

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Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Police — Importance Of Police

Importance of Police

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Published: Mar 14, 2024

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Policing

Introduction, the history and development of policing.

• The Social Function of Police
• The Occupational Role of Police
• Police Culture
• Police Discretion and Decision-Making
• Use of Force
• Use of Lethal Force
• Police Misconduct and Its Control
• Police Effectiveness
• Police Legitimacy, Procedural Justice, and Legal Cynicism
• Contemporary Issues in Policing

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Policing by Michael Sierra-Arévalo LAST REVIEWED: 25 October 2018 LAST MODIFIED: 25 October 2018 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756384-0213

Policing refers to the profession and practice of maintaining social order and enforcing the law through the street-level prevention, detection, and investigation of crime. As society’s most visible and contacted legal agents, police officers are empowered by a governmental body with authority to enforce laws and distribute coercive force to achieve their goals. Today, research on policing covers the practices and effects of police in countries across the globe, though academic research predominantly focuses on policing in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Western nations. Though this entry focuses on policing research in the United States, insights from this literature can be and are frequently applied to the study of police in other contexts. Following an overview of resources that cover the historical development of modern policing, this entry moves to discuss foundational research that investigates the social function of the police (what role do police serve in society?) and is followed by a section on their occupational role (what do police do in the course of their work?). Closely linked to this research on the function and environment of the police, the next section covers research that describes the norms, values, and attitudes that make up police culture. The following section covers research on police decision-making in the context of stops, searches, and arrest, with special attention to the factors that influence those behaviors. Given the centrality of force to the police role, two sections attend to the highly consequential decision to use of force; the first of these looks at force writ large, while the second focuses specifically on the use of lethal force. Following these section on police force, the section on police misconduct and its control provides readings that describe various facets of police misconduct and strategies for reducing its prevalence. Turning from research that seeks to explain police behavior, the following section discusses research on the effectiveness of police activities in reducing crime, disorder, and the fear of crime, followed by a section dedicated to procedural justice and its effects on police legitimacy and legal cynicism. The final sections of this overview provides a primer for research on contemporary issues in policing, including police and immigration, police militarization, and Big Data technology in policing.

These references provide a variety of perspectives on the history of policing, varying in the scope and focus of their analysis. Uchida 2011 is a broad historical overview that extends from before the 1st century through the 1990s, covering both the path to modern police and changes since. Though the author does not extend his historical analysis as far back as Uchida, Silver 1967 contextualizes changes in US policing with an account of changes in English police and English society more broadly, and Monkkonen 1992 attends to the role of urbanization and economic change in the development of police forces in the United States. Kelling and Moore 1988 provides a concise and highly accessible summary of major changes in the structure and strategies of police organizations in the United States throughout the 20th century. Walker 1977 provides a thorough discussion of the police professionalization movement between the late 19th and mid-20th century, and Walker and Archbold 2013 extends this analysis in its description of changes in the regulation and supervision of police since the mid-20th century. Willis 2014 provides a wonderful distillation of changes to policing strategy and accountability from the 1960s to today, paying particular attention to changes aimed at enhancing police legitimacy and addressing challenges posed by terrorism in the wake of September 11, 2001. For a more complete reading list, see the Oxford Bibliographies article “ History of Policing .”

Kelling, G. L., & Moore, M. H. (1988). The evolving strategy of policing . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice.

The authors provide a historical perspective on the development of US policing through what they term the political, reform, and community problem solving eras that span the time period between the late-19th century and the 1980s. For each era they detail the state of police legitimacy and authorization, the police function, organizational design, external relationships with the public, management practices, prevailing programs and technologies, and measured outcomes used by police.

Monkkonen, E. H. 1992. History of urban police. Crime and Justice 15:547–580.

DOI: 10.1086/449201

This piece begins with a summary of Monkkonen’s book-length study of the development of police between 1860 and 1920 and their role in the provision of “urban services” and then covers the historical development of police as employers, police and organized labor, police reform, and federal–local policy issues.

Silver, A. 1967. The demand for order in a civil society. In The police: Six sociological essays . Edited by D. J. Bordua, 1–24. New York: Wiley.

Silver discusses the advent of the modern, uniformed police department as a new answer to public unrest and the changing economic and social relations of the 19th and 20th centuries. As opposed to the military, modern police are a diffuse, daily, and specialized instantiation of political authority that contribute to social cohesion.

Uchida, C. D. 2011. The development of the American police: An historical overview. In Critical issues in policing: Contemporary readings . Edited by R. G. Dunham and G. P. Alpert, 14–30. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland.

This sweeping historical summary provides a broad overview of the historical roots and subsequent development of US policing from 900 BCE to the end of the 20th century. Its breadth prevents it from diving too deeply on any particular historical period, but its careful citation of major works throughout this expansive period provides a good resource for guiding further reading.

Walker, S. 1977. A critical history of police reform: The emergence of professionalism . Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.

This text focuses specifically on the intertwined histories of police reform and professionalization. Walker’s account begins with a description of the role and function of police in the 19th century, moves to the rise of professionalization in the early 20th century and the new role of police in social welfare, and finishes with discussion of policing of reform movement, race riots, and the “war on crime” between 1919 and 1940.

Walker, S. E., and C. A. Archbold. 2013. The new world of police accountability . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

In Chapter 2, Walker and Archibold give an overview of what Walker 1977 covers in great detail, then move on to describe new changes in regulation and police accountability, including critical incident policies (e.g., lethal force incidents, pursuits), citizen complaints and complaint investigation, early intervention systems, external and internal departmental reviews, and new surveillance technologies.

Willis, J. J. 2014. A recent history of the police. In The Oxford handbook of police and policing . Edited by M. D. Reisig and R. J. Kane, 3–14. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

Willis summarizes major changes to the policing profession and the social context in which policing happens over the past thirty years. The chapter discusses major strategic innovations (e.g., broken windows policing, hot-spots policing, community policing), efforts to enhance police accountability and legitimacy, and how US policing has changed in response to the terror attacks of September 11.

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Policing small communities

Policing large societies, police and the state.

• Ancient policing
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police , body of officers representing the civil authority of government. Police typically are responsible for maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law , and preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activities. These functions are known as policing. Police are often also entrusted with various licensing and regulatory activities.

However, police scholars have criticized this popular understanding of the word police —that it refers to members of a public organization having the legal competence to maintain order and enforce the law—for two reasons. First, it defines police by their ends rather than by the specific means that they use to achieve their goals. Second, the variety of situations in which police are asked to intervene is much greater than law enforcement and order maintenance. There is now a consensus among researchers, based on a definition first proposed by American sociologist Egon Bittner, that the common feature among all the different agencies engaged in policing is the legal competence to enforce coercive, nonnegotiable measures to resolve problematic situations. Such situations are characterized by two features: their potential for harm and the need to solve them urgently before they develop that potential. Hence, the actual use of coercion or the threat of using it allows police to put a quick, nonnegotiated, and conclusive end to problematic situations (e.g., keeping people away from the scene of a fire for their own protection and to allow firemen to do their job).

Following that definition, policing thus may be performed by several different professional organizations: public police forces, private security agencies, the military , and government agencies with various surveillance and investigative powers. The best known of these bodies are the public constabulary forces that patrol public spaces, often in marked cars, and whose members wear a uniform. They are the most visible representatives of the civil authority of government, and they provide the model typically associated with police organizations. However, in many Anglo-Saxon countries—such as Australia , Canada , the United Kingdom, and the United States—there are at least twice as many private security agents as public police officers. Furthermore, security and intelligence agencies that generally operate undercover have played an increasingly important role in combating terrorism , especially since the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001. Policing has therefore become a complex undertaking that straddles the traditional institutional and jurisdictional distinctions between public and private, criminal and political.

This article focuses on the development of public police organizations and of their policing strategies in Anglo-Saxon countries and the countries of continental Europe , particularly France , which developed the original model of centralized policing. Countries in Africa, Asia , and South America are covered to a lesser extent, mainly because relatively little reliable information on their policing systems is available.

Police and society

There is a remarkable historical, geographic, and organizational diversity in the activities of people who are, or have been, defined as police. Police work has developed considerably from what it was centuries ago. As populations grew and informal institutions of socialization and social control—such as the family, schools, and the church—decreased in effectiveness, police became increasingly necessary. However, no uniform worldwide system of policing ever emerged.

Numerous factors help to explain the diversity of police activities and systems. The types of crime typically committed in a society and the methods used by criminals play a great part in determining a police force’s activities. For instance, if criminals use firearms, the police are likely to be armed, or if criminals use computers to commit crimes, the police may establish a special unit dedicated to investigating cybercrimes . History also helps to explain this diversity; e.g., former colonies tend to keep the policing system established by their colonizers. Population plays an important role as well; policing rural areas and villages vastly differs from policing large cities. Foremost among the factors that determine a country’s system of policing, however, are the political culture of the society—e.g., whether it is open and democratic or closed and totalitarian—and the state’s conception of police accountability.

Most people willingly obey most laws, whether a police officer is present or not. They comply with the laws because they consider them fair and because they believe that in the long run it is in their interest to observe them. In small communities in which most citizens know each other, people who live up to the community ’s shared ideals are rewarded with the esteem of their fellow citizens. If they break the law or fall short of other people’s expectations, their lives often become more difficult because they are shamed, shunned, or ostracized by the rest of the community and are less likely to receive assistance in times of trouble. In all societies this system of informal rewards and punishments is the most potent aid to law enforcement, but it is strongest in small communities. The forces that order life in a small community thus make the task of the police much easier. Police action is needed only when such informal controls have proved insufficient.

This is why rural and sparsely populated areas are often policed by a single centralized—and often militarized—police force, even in countries that have a decentralized police system. A single police organization operating under a unified command is more cost-effective and more operationally efficient than a bevy of independent small-town police forces. Since the territory to cover may be very large and characterized by difficult terrain, police in such regions must have the long-range mobility and adaptability that are characteristic of military forces. In addition, the countryside has historically been policed by military organizations, as police forces were initially created in urban settings. (The great exceptions to this model are the United Kingdom and the United States, which have long resisted police centralization.)

In larger and more complex societies, informal institutions of social control are generally weaker, and, as a result, formal institutions are generally stronger. The relative weakness of informal controls is attributable to a number of factors. In large societies people often deal with strangers whom they will never meet again, and in such circumstances there may be fewer informal rewards for honesty or fewer informal penalties for dishonesty. Such communities tend also to be more technologically advanced, which leads to the adoption of new laws, such as those regulating the licensing and operation of automobiles and those concerned with commerce conducted on the Internet ( see e-commerce ). Because some of these new laws may not have the same moral significance as older laws criminalizing violence, theft, or fraud , people may feel less of an obligation to obey them. Moreover, when new laws are created, crime increases almost necessarily. There is thus a danger that people who are convicted of having violated a new law may feel aggrieved and in the future be less willing to cooperate with the police or to obey the law when they are not being observed. Finally, as societies grow, it becomes more difficult for people to place the public interest ahead of their private interests in circumstances where the two may conflict. An employer who catches an employee committing an offense within the workplace, for example, may choose not to notify the police because he fears that the firm’s production, profit, or prestige would suffer if the offense was publicly exposed.

A country’s political culture helps to determine whether its police forces are organized nationally or locally. The desire for efficiency lends itself to the establishment of centralized police forces, which can take advantage of coordination and savings in training, organization, and service delivery. However, such forces face the problem aptly summarized by the Latin question Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (“Who guards the guardians?”). In some democratic countries, particularly the United States and, to a lesser extent, Great Britain, citizens have traditionally believed that the existence of a national police force would concentrate too much power in the hands of its directors. They have believed that local communities could not hold a national police force accountable for abuses of power, and they have feared that the national government could use such a police force to keep itself in power illegitimately. For those and other reasons, some democratic countries favor organizing police forces on a local basis. Decentralization brings the police closer to the community, and it often succeeds in tailoring policing to the specific needs of a community. However, a decentralized police apparatus tends to hinder the flow of intelligence between the various components of the system. Another drawback of a system of accountability to local government is that the narrow relationship between the police and their political overseers may facilitate the corruption of both parties.

The need for police accountability is made evident by the great power that police forces wield over the lives, liberties, safety, and rights of citizens. Governments empower police to compel individuals to comply with the law; they allow officers to stop, search, detain, cite, and arrest citizens and to use physical and sometimes deadly force. If police use those powers improperly, they can abuse the civil rights of the very citizens they are supposed to protect. Thus, it is critical that police be accountable for their policies and behavior. In democratic countries, accountability is ensured mainly by three means. First, police forces are made subordinate to elected representatives (as in the United States, where mayors or state governors oversee the police, and as in Belgium, where a town’s burgomaster is also the chief of police) or to special elected officials (e.g., the police and crime commissioners of England and Wales). Second, the courts are entrusted to safeguard the respect of due process by the police. Third, official bodies are appointed to hear and act upon complaints from citizens against the police.

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Role of police in society.

Students will examine the role of police in society in this lesson to identify and analyze the extent of police discretion.

The role of police in our society is complex but is pivotal to understanding the US criminal justice system and our society at large.

• Explore the purpose and legal responsibility of police in society, beyond the motto to “protect and serve”
• Evaluate the extent to which police have a legal duty to serve and protect

Essential Questions

• What is the role of police?
• Do the police have a legal duty to serve and protect?
• Law enforcement
• Community police
• Due process and the Fourteenth Amendment
• Qualified immunity
• Butcher or chart paper

Prework (about 30 minutes)

This can be completed the day before or just before starting the lesson.

Step 1: Go over the vocabulary words for the lesson.

Step 2: Students should complete the History of Police Forces reading and reflection/​comprehension questions below. This may be done in groups for students to work together to read through the article.

• What were the challenges posed in early forms of policing that stemmed from colonial America?
• How did policing systems differ regionally in the United States in the 19th century and early 20th century? What factors contributed to this difference?
• How did early policing differ from today’s policing system in the United States?

Step 3: Via cold call or whip‐​around calling on each student, have students share responses to questions.

Warm‐​Up (about 10 minutes)

Step 1: Explain to students that since the class has already discussed the origin of police forces in the United States, the students are going to explore the role of police in American society by analyzing court cases and court rulings.

Step 2: Spend three to five minutes asking students to consider the essential question, What is the role of police? Students should record their responses.

Step 3: Spend three to five minutes doing a whip‐​around. Ask a few students to share their responses. Record the class responses on a whiteboard or blackboard. Circle or star responses that are repeated multiple times to identify a few collective responses.

Lesson Activities

Activity 1: Case Review (Recommended for High School) or Article Jigsaw (Recommended for Middle School) (About 30 Minutes) Depending on your class, you may choose to do a case review or an article jigsaw to have students learn more about the essential questions. While the cases are essential to the question regarding a police officer’s duty to protect, the cases do go into details about abuse, neglect, and murder. Therefore, you will want to choose the option that best suits the maturity level of your students.

For the case activity:

• Organize students into four groups. If you need to duplicate cases to accommodate more students, you can double up.
• Assign each group one case to review.
• Students should analyze the case documents and conduct additional research on their assigned case.
• Each group should prepare a summary of their case and answer these essential questions based on what they believe and using evidence to support their claims. What is the role of the police? Does the law require police to protect and serve?
• Each group will share their summary/​poster presentation.

Case options:

• Atwater v. City of Lago Vista
• DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services
• Castle Rock v. Gonzales
• Kelsay v. Ernst summary (at the end of the lesson)

For the article jigsaw:

• Organize students into groups of four.
• Assign each student a section of the article from the American Bar Association titled Police Function, which they will then summarize for the group. Provide students with sections excluding the archived content.
• Have students discuss these essential questions: What is the role of the police? Does the law require police to protect and serve?
• Reconvene as a whole class and have each group share their thoughts.

Activity 2: Socratic Seminar (about 15–25 minutes, and may be done as a longer day‐​two lesson) Step 1: Watch “ Police Misconduct ” by Clark Neily

Step 2: Have students watch “DOJ Issues Scathing Review of Failed Police Response to Uvalde School Shooting” from PBS NewsHour (tip: use the unit toolkit for information on how to approach this topic with students).

Step 3: Hold the Socratic seminar to explore the essential questions of this lesson and record the students’ responses to the essential questions after reviewing cases and watching the video. Be sure to have students discuss any shifts in their perspectives.

Optional Extension Activity

Step 1: Review “Police as Community Caretakers: Caniglia v. Strom ”

Step 2: Have students create a presentation to explain the concept of police as community caretakers in their own words. Step 3: Hold a mock city council hearing where students argue for or against the concept of police officers as community caretakers, using evidence from the article and from their own research.

Activity 2: Case Summary: Sessions v. Dimaya Step 1: Read “Justice Gorsuch on Overcriminalization and Arbitrary Prosecution” and Case Summary: Sessions v. Dimaya

Step 2: Create a list of criminal offenses that might be affected by this ruling.

Kelsay v. Ernst summary:

This federal case from 2019 asked whether police were required to compensate an alleged victim whom they had thrown onto hard concrete, fracturing her collarbone.

Melanie Kelsay was at a swimming pool in Wymore, Nebraska with her three children and Patrick Caslin, a family friend. Police arrived pursuant to a witness call alleging that Caslin had assaulted Kelsay. Kelsay was uninjured. She told the officers that Caslin had just been playing around, and the only threat he’d made was a threat to push her into the pool.

Police arrested Caslin anyway, even as Kelsay continued to protest outside the police vehicle were Caslin was being held. Then Kelsay overheard her 13‐​year‐​old‐​daughter arguing with the woman who had summoned the police. She moved towards her daughter, prompting Officer Ernst to grab Kelsay’s arm and warn her to “get back here.” But Kelsay insisted that she needed to check on the situation. Ernst then released her arm and slammed Kelsay onto the parking lot in front of her children.

Kelsay complained of an intense pain in her shoulder, saying that she was no longer able to move her arm. Officers refused her pleas to take her to the hospital, instead forcing her into handcuffs. Kelsay, the alleged assault victim officers had been dispatched to protect, was taken to jail and charged with disturbing the peace and obstructing government operations. When she finally did receive medical attention, an x‑ray revealed that Officer Ernst’s takedown maneuver had fractured her collarbone. She required extensive surgery, including the insertion of a plate and several screws into her shoulder.

Officer Ernst claimed he didn’t have to pay for Kelsay’s injury because of qualified immunity—a doctrine the Supreme Court invented to shield police officers from liability. Qualified immunity protects police (and other public officials) from legal liability if they haven’t violated “clearly established law.”

The “clearly established law” standard required Kelsay to find another, prior court case in the federal Eighth Circuit—not, say, in the Seventh Circuit, which governs the neighboring states of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana—where police were held to have violated the Constitution by injuring someone in nearly the exact same way Officer Ernst had injured Melanie Kelsay. Generally, the standard requires a high degree of factual similarity, and it would not be enough for Kelsay to simply point to a prior case where a court in the Eighth Circuit had ruled it was unconstitutional for an officer to injure a nonthreatening person. In this case, the Eighth Circuit held that Kelsay wasn’t entitled to compensation because “[n]one of the decisions cited by the district court or Kelsay involved a suspect who ignored an officer’s command and walked away, so they could not clearly establish the unreasonableness of using force under the particular circumstances here.”

Roles of police in society

Introduction

Many of us have different perceptions concerning the police force in our respective countries. Past experiences have a significant impact on the attitudes we tend to show towards the police. Our social status also affects our attitude towards the police. In most cases, we consider the police as enemies of the locals. They are only concerned about fighting the enemy and are always in danger thus using violent forces to free themselves. Most of the views that the society hold concerning the police is as a result of mass media. Some even define the police as the most corrupt officials in the country. Relations between the police and the locals was not a vibrant one in the past until recently when people started appreciating their duty hence warming up to them.

All along I have grown up knowing that police spend most of their time fighting criminals and interrogating suspects. Most young people love watching Television series where the police are always in hot pursuit of criminals. In addition, they always engage in shootings that in some cases end up in favor of the criminals. Personally, I have thought of being a police officer all my life. Reading the book has, however, changed my perception regarding the police and their duties. The police officers have the duty of maintaining law and order in the society as their primary responsibility. The only way to control the social life of the people so as not to go beyond the limits is by having laws in place. It is the police who ensure that the laws are enforced by the people. Making arrests and interrogating suspects is one way of applying the law in society by the police (Kappeler & Gaines, 2014 pg. 13).

The police also play vital roles in the society more than what we see in the media. There are different departments of the police with each department accomplishing a different role in the country. Previously, I thought all police officers could control traffic on our roads. I knew any police would apprehend a drug user in the public, but that is not the case. The transport agency under the department of homeland security has different roles from the customs and border protection agency. The transportation security agency solely handles the entire transportation system of the country. They enforce the law in aviation, waterways, highways, and public transport to prevent restriction of the freedom of movement of the citizens (Kappeler & Gaines, 2014 pg. 41).

The Department of Justice plays different roles from those of the homeland security. Most of the laws concerning criminals fall under this department. One way of dispensing justice is by ensuring the suspect is guilty before getting judged in a court of law. Investigations help in stating whether one is guilty or not. The FBI, which is an agency in the Justice Department, carries out investigations regarding criminal activities in the country. They also offer training programs to state police officers in their academy (Kappeler & Gaines, 2014 pg. 32).

It is now clear that the police are not only supposed to shoot and arrest criminals, but they can perform other duties too. In addition, not every police officer can handle all activities in the society such as making arrests. There are departments in the police force with each department playing a different role from the other. Police are human beings just like we are hence there is no need to fear them, but rather respect and support their duties to make the society a safe place to live.

• Kappeler, E. & Gaines, K. (2014). Policing in America. Abingdon: Routledge.
• Bill of Rights
• Civil Disobedience
• Drunk Driving
• First Amendment
• Forensic Science
• Gang Violence
• Human Rights
• Identity Theft

Role and Function of the Police

• Reference work entry
• First Online: 27 November 2018
• pp 4510–4529
• Cite this reference work entry

• Peter K. Manning 5  

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There is no accepted systematic theoretical paradigm within which policing is viewed. The role and function of the police are typically assumed, and a measurable facet such as crime control is defined as the scholarly interest. Those viewed as essential policing functions and how they should be performed are products of the theoretical context within which the police are viewed, their perceived political role, and the posited character of the police organization. As a result, there are alternative versions of policing and what it is good for. These might be called “practical theories of police” in that they emphasize and valorize selectively some aspects of policing while remaining wedded to the basic deployment strategies of random patrol, crime investigation and response to citizens’ calls while altering the rhetorical strategy, and some policing tactics. They are the products of fads and trends in the sense that they reflect efforts of the police and some scholars to...

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Manning, P.K. (2014). Role and Function of the Police. In: Bruinsma, G., Weisburd, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5690-2_393

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