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Policing Functions

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Submitted By dazzey
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Policing Functions
Sara Powell
CJA/394
February 7, 2012
Patrick Daulton

Introduction
Law enforcement agencies in the United States have numerous different functions. There are three basic levels of law enforcement; Federal, state, and local level. Each level of law enforcement is organized to deliver effectively the services that meet the public’s needs. Collectively these levels and agencies work together to achieve many duties. Whereas each level of law enforcement has its own responsibilities and procedures, their functions are very comparable. Research reveals the various roles of each police agency at its perspective level, how these functions compare to each other, and the impact these roles have in a community.
Basic Functions of Policing
First, the basic functions of police agencies include law enforcement, arresting offenders, crime prevention, maintaining order, and providing other services to community members in need. Many of these functions may coincide with each other. As an example while enforcing the laws, officers are often required to arrest the offender, which results in the maintenance of order. These functions in turn help prevent future crime.
Federal Level of Policing The Federal level of policing includes organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The FBI, for example, is the Nation’s premier law enforcement organization and is responsible for collecting facts and gathering evidence in cases involving federal jurisdiction. The FBI’s primary functions as specified in its mission statement, is to:
“protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to

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