...Policing America by John Stossel EN3220 Isabel Ambriz ITT Technical Institute – Tempe, AZ Abstract Most of us think that living in America is living in a free country. You think that being on your cell phones, nobody is listening, your computers, nobody is controlling it but you, or even being in your homes, nobody can see inside because your doors and windows are closed. What about when you are driving from one town to another, you would think that there is no need to carry your citizenship, because you are not crossing any borders. You think that the police is protecting you, so there is no need to fear them. What about our neighbors, can we trust them at all? Our children, are they safe in the schools, will they release them if there is a bomb threat? Policing America by John Stossel Most of us think that living in America is living in a free country. You think that being on your cell phones, nobody is listening, your computers, nobody is controlling it but you, or even being in your homes, nobody can see inside because your doors and windows are closed. What about when you are driving from one town to another, you would think that there is no need to carry your citizenship, because you are not crossing any borders. You think that the police is protecting you, so there is no need to fear them. What about our neighbors, can we trust them at all? Our children, are they safe in the schools, will they release them if there is a bomb threat? America has never been a free...
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...There are three amendments to the United States Constitution that are directly related to police and the American people. The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments cover probable cause, exclusionary rule, arrests, search and seizure, electronic surveillance and lineups; confessions, interrogation, and entrapment; and the right to counsel and interrogation respectively (Peak, 2012). The goal of the Fourth Amendment is to protect the people from the police illegally performing searches and giving the court system and other agencies the power to protect an individual’s rights and privacy. The Fifth Amendment is most known for giving the people the power to avoid self-incrimination and protecting ones right to remain silent in accordance to the Miranda rights. The Sixth Amendment gives the people the right to counsel during interrogation and at trial whether they can afford the attorney or not they are entitled to representation. With the Amendments in mind and the rights of individuals protected some may argue that the work police can do is limited but with the safeguards in place for not only protecting those suspected of criminal activity the laws and policies protect the police as well. When my nephew was 15 he and a friend were shooting at cans with a bb gun and got the not so bright idea to shoot an aerosol can of hairspray the can exploded and shrapnel cut my nephew’s best friend very badly. When the boys got to the emergency room the hospital called the police because...
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...Policing in America today has grown from different economic, social and political forces. In order to understand how policing in the united states relates to the current relationship between the police and the different social classes and ethnic groups, one needs to know how the history of policing has developed in order to become what it is currently. This paper will discuss the views of the momentous background of the united states police and this will help us to have a better understanding of how the different social classes and ethnic groups relates with the police. Police development has evolved over different eras. The first era was the era between 1840’s and early 1900’s. During this era, local political leaders are the ones who governed the police. The policing of these times was decentralized and this paved way for fraud through politics. The social and political worlds were closely connected police departments. There was a lot of disorganization and in efficiencies. This was caused by the lack of governmental control over the police officers that was resulted by the political nature of the positions of the police and decentralization. There was discrimination against ethnic minorities, racial groups, strangers and the people...
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...Policing Organizations in America Policing organizations in America have different roles and functions at the federal, local and, state level. These roles fall under responsibilities and operational strategies. Although the federal government may be similar to state and local organizations there is difference in the role of federal employee. An Example of a federal agency is the FBI, Homeland security, and the DEA. Employees of this organization are allowed to make an arrest in any state or county, most of the federal agencies “do not provide basic services of protection and criminal investigation” (Walker & Katz, 2008, p. 76), which makes them different from the local and state organizations. Officers employed with the state troopers or highway patrols are employed with the state. Employment at the state level means that an officer is not allowed to make an arrest outside of the state. Officers on the local level are not allowed to make arrest outside of the city or county that employs them. All of these Agencies do have to follow the same code and depend on the federal laws. Police organizations have five primary responsibilities all of these responsibilities work together, which means they have similar structure both operational and administratively. The smaller departments do not have as much management and are much simpler. According to Walker and Katz (2008) “the typical police department is a bureaucracy, with a hierarchical structure and an...
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...Policing in America is one of the hardest and harshest jobs that public servants deal with in the United States. Today, the police are faced with the public, the media, and other groups of individuals who have different perceptions to either back the police or shun them. These men and women who put these uniforms on have a job to do, a family to support, and a place to defend from criminals of every race or ethnic background. Most of today’s people would not put themselves in a police officer’s shoes and deal with day to day problems that are to be dealt with, instead, they would rather hide behind a camera, mock the police, and criticize them for simply doing their jobs. There are groups that hate the police and there are many questions that...
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...In the text reading “Policing in America” author Gains explains the diversity of the police establishment starting with the department of justice …Gaines illustrates how society attempts to control people via the creation of government, and how the government was primarily created to serve the needs of the elite. Gains says laws are a formal system of Social control and enforced via congressional laws. With the police and policing being a part of and resembling government. Due to its three levels of federal, state and Local Policing, with each level performing a distinct goal and purpose. Gaines says The Justice Department was created in 1870, is responsible for enforcing laws created by Congress. The Bureau of Investigation was established...
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...Criminal Justice Practices: Past, Present, and Future Evaluation Paper In today’s society the world relies heavily on policing within their community’ citizens around the world want to feel safe, some as they walk the streets during the day and others while they sleep in their beds at night. Once upon a time citizens felt a great deal safer than they do today. People were not afraid to leave their homes and take strolls through the neighborhood at night, whenever they felt like walking to get some fresh air, thanks to the police. The policing throughout the city and in the neighborhood s made citizens feel safe, people were not afraid to leave their homes and sit outside on their front porches. However, as time began to change the world, policing changed as well. In this paper this author will evaluate the past, present and future trends in the interface between components of the criminal justice system and criminal justice connections with surrounding society which involves policing in the United States of America. Sometimes it’s better to let the things in the past, stay in the past but not when it comes to policing, back in the late 1800s and early 1900s police made people feel safe within their community. Police officers would walk the streets patrolling the neighborhood, standing on street corners talking to the neighbors in the community and actually getting to...
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...Policing has been a part of America for many decades. In fact, policing was known to exist prior to 1066, the year of the Normandy Invasion of Britain. Throughout the years policing has been a complicated and ongoing progress. The people of England did not have a stabilized policing standard and were often responsible for protecting and serving themselves. As early as the 1600s the Colonial America introduced the English styles of policing; citizens were responsible for monitoring community members’ behavior. Early constables and sheriffs were with the increased rate of crime and developed a ‘sort’ in community policing known as “watch and ward.” Later throughout history in the early 1700s policing became an act of religious beliefs. Crime and disorder followed throughout America and unorganized crime prevailed. By the early 1800s a development was established to bring organization and structure to policing. In addition to many historical figures responsiblefor the development of policing. Sir Robert Peel (1829) served as Home Secretary of England and cited a new revolution for policing in the community. This Metropolitan America developed guidelines set for improving community relations and professional behaviors. His ideas stood firm that the key to policing was, “the police are the people and the people are the police.” In this paper, I will discuss the nine principles developed by Sir Robert Peel and the impact it served on American policing and its history Sir Robert Peel...
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...In today’s society the world relies heavily on policing within their community’ citizens around the world want to feel safe, some as they walk the streets during the day and others while they sleep in their beds at night. Once upon a time citizens felt a great deal safer than they do today. People were not afraid to leave their homes and take strolls through the neighborhood at night, whenever they felt like walking to get some fresh air, thanks to the police. The policing throughout the city and in the neighborhood s made citizens feel safe, people were not afraid to leave their homes and sit outside on their front porches. However, as time began to change the world, policing changed as well. In this paper this author will evaluate the past, present and future trends in the interface between components of the criminal justice system and criminal justice connections with surrounding society which involves policing in the United States of America. Past Trends Sometimes it’s better to let the things in the past, stay in the past but not when it comes to policing, back in the late 1800s and early 1900s police made people feel safe within their community. Police officers would walk the streets patrolling the neighborhood, standing on street corners talking to the neighbors in the community and actually getting to know the people who they help protect. That was when citizens and police officers actually knew each other on a first name basis...
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...Through the history of policing, law enforcement has adapted and overcome major obstacles to be at the level they are today. The very first officers on the streets carried no radios, didn’t have vehicles to drive around, carried no weapon, and had very little, if any professional training (Grant and Terry, 2012). If the history of policing is known it can help better understand where we’re at today and learn from the mistakes that were made previously. The history of policing will help us better understand why certain negative situations still remain in law enforcement although many have been through multiple reforms to correct the problem (Miller, 2000). One man, Sir Robert Peel is responsible for the direction of modern day policing and started the first modern police force. Sir Robert Peel established the London Metropolitan Police Force based out of Scotland Yard. This force was the first recognized modern day police force in history. Before 1829 policing was simply citizens with no training or equipment trying to attain order in their town. With population growth and urbanization this old style of policing quickly fell apart and Sir Robert Peel introduced the first police force (Grant and Terry, 2012). His focus was on crime prevention, being proactive in law enforcement rather than reactive. Sir Robert Peel developed the Peelian principles which were used to define an ethical police force (Grant and Terry, 2012). These principles are what policing was and still is based...
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...Police History Essay (Week One) Policing in today’s society is very different than what it was back in the 1800’s. In my reading of The Police in America, An Introduction, Seventh Edition Walker and Katz explain how the very first American police officer received no training, forms of communication, policy or procedure guidelines or weapons. Corruption and abuse of police authority ran rampant. This is vastly different than to today’s policing in America. American policing was born as a product from the English heritage and focused on three main features which helped create American policing as we know of it today. The three main features were high value on individual liberty and on governmental authority, tradition of local control of law enforcement agencies, and a highly decentralized and fragmented system of law enforcement. Sir Robert Peel is known as the “father” of modern day policing. To this day his work is still discussed and taught at all different law enforcement training academies around America. Sir Robert Peel sought to fix England’s broken and collapsed law enforcement system. He created three core elements which are still used in today’s policing to help aid in crime prevention. The three core elements were the mission, strategy, and organizational structure of the police. Most of these ideas were adopted from the military but tailored to meet the needs of law enforcement. Those elements were designed to work with a proactive police approach...
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...History of Police A system of rules is required to maintain a sense of normalcy that can be free from harm in communities. Policing today has proven to be effective after years of improvements and changes. Policing ensures everyone is looking out for each other. This paper will discuss; the history of policing, the relationship of government and policing organizations, and how that relationship may affect police practices. Sir Robert Peel was the home secretary in London. According to (Grant & Terry, 2012), Sir Robert Peel created the London Metropolitan Police an efficient system of law enforcement. Sir Robert Peel laid the foundation to the history of policing. In 1829, he created principles in policing that through time made the first modern police force effective and time- standing. His advancement in policing included chains of command, uniforms, and, rules of conduct (Grant & Terry, 2012). Sir Robert Peel has made an everlasting impact on policing and his format to policing is still in practicing existence. The government plays a major role in assisting policing organizations throughout the United States of America. There are various sectors in the government that aim to assist in keeping in accordance with the law. According to (Grant & Terry, 2012) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforce U.S. laws while it investigates and gathers intelligence on national and international criminal activities that threaten the security of the homeland. ICE also investigates...
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...Police History Throughout the years, the United States has maintained a strong federal and state policy system, and because of this America has strong police history. When policing first began, colonists pursued the English style of policing. English style of policing consisted of monitoring the community on behaviors, morals, and civil obligations instead of criminal issues. Citizens carried out these policing responsibilities and were referred to as civic duties. There was no training or pay offered for these services. Wealthier people who didn't want to serve began to pay others to do their duties for them. Policing has continued to change in a positive way for America. (NY Region, 2014) In 1658 Philadelphia offered compensation for citizens for their service, and wardens employed watchmen. Watchmen's responsibilities were increased, and they were offered a salary as well. Motoring became a priority when towns and villages were formed and crime increased. Colonies began a system of sheriff's similar to the traditional policing in the English countryside. The sheriff's patrolled the community, and they also collected taxes and served court papers for a small fee. These sheriff's weren't too worried about crime being committed. (Davis, 2009) As time went on, policing focused more on crime prevention rather than crime detection and punishment for the crime that was committed. In the 1840's, guidelines improved relations between the community and the...
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...Community Policing Briarcliffe College Professor Toohey 12/17/14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. Throughout this reading you will get the full concept of “Community Policing” and how it benefits us civilians as a society. LITERATURE REVIEW This section of the essay consists of a grouped summary of published sources that I will be presenting, that I will be using for my paper, you will read about the pros of community policing such sources will be Wycoff and Skogan (1993), McElroy et al (1993), The United States National Institute of Justice (1992), and Bayley (1989). I chose these sources because all these people were all involved with police field. HISTORICAL ANALYSIS On December 17, 1996 the resolution was further amended to expand the Community Policing Task Force from 9 to 15 members. On November 4, 1997 the resolution was further amended (Resolution 73916) to create the Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB). In 2004, Oakland voters approved Measure Y, he Violence Prevention and Public Safety Act which influenced how Oakland handled community policing and violence suppression. On April 13, 2005 Oakland adopted Resolution 79235. This resolution reiterated Resolution 72727...
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...understanding the differences we share with opposing cultural groups is crucial for the sake of peaceful human interaction and existence. Since the beginning of history, the public's attitude towards police has been mostly negative. Due to failed community policing attempts, the misuse of police authority, and the media negatively influencing both cultural groups painting a lousy picture on both spectrums, this has been a constant battle worldwide. Through effective neighborhood policing and learning to trust the police, America could be a sharpened more secure place to live. First, because of failed community policing attempts in America, there has been a constant battle for the people and the police to view each other as equals and overcome the differences we share. Community policing is the newest terminology for law enforcement. It is a federally funded initiative built on the premise that everyone should be working together to reduce the fear of crime. The major obstacle with this has always been getting the police and communities to stray from the way that we have always done things to accepting new and innovative ideas. According to the Oakland Police Department, there are three essential elements for a successful community policing program: “a mutual respect and partnership between the police and community, a new approach to identify the problem...
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