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The police department is one unit that is tasked with a general duty of maintaining law and order. Additionally, two other remarry duties that the police handle are to protect life and property. These duties are necessary in dispute resolution; whether private or public in nature. Simple as it appears, maintaining law and order is a procedural activity that entails various processes. As a result, the police agency has developed organizational tasks and policies that make the performance of their duties much easier.
The major divisions into which the police have organized themselves include the operations, administration, and auxiliary Services department. However, there are thirty basic police organizational asks that arise from these three subsystems (Coroner, 201 0, p. 168). This paper shall go forth to discuss these tasks at large. Organizational tasks central to running the police agency Beginning with the operations subsystem, it is a department that major handles field and ground police work.
The main programs that fall under this subsystem are patrol, traffic, criminal investigation, vice and drugs, organized crime, specialized operations, juvenile services, crime prevention, community services and school services. (Coroner, 201 0, p. 168) The patrol unit is tasked with maintaining law and order; the basic duty of the police. They perform this task by responding to calls made by civilians, leading in enforcing the law and ensuring citizens receive the services they require from them. Their role is considered to be the pillar of service offered by the police.
The traffic controls traffic in regions that experience heavy traffic. The unit on criminal investigations is in charge of identifying and apprehending suspects and criminals while upholding justice. Issues such as prostitution, illegal gambling, pornography, illegal drugs and sale of liquor, and any other controlled substances are managed under the vice department. There is also a unit that handles any organized crimes, and punishes institutions that are found to benefit from continuing crimes called the organized crime unit.
The juvenile services unit advices juveniles and refers them to social agencies, while also investigating any suspicions and instances of neglect and child abuse. ( Dempsey, p. 22). There are two units that closely or directly serve the community: the community service unit and the community relations unit. They try to create a close relationship between the public and the police while also resolving disputes and giving support to victims of crime. Lastly, there is a crime prevention unit. It teaches members of the public effective ways to lessen crime and importance of neighborhood watch programs.
Secondly, there is the administration subsystem. It deals with personnel, training, planning and analysis, budget and finance, legal assistance, information processing/ clerical, public information, inspections, internal affairs and intelligence. (Coroner, 2010, p. 168). The activities of this department do not directly benefit the public, but benefit the police department as a whole. The duties performed here are meant to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of he police. The personnel unit recruits and selects people for the available positions, assign, transfer, promote and terminate police personnel.
The training unit trains new recruits and offer in-house training for veterans. The planning and analysis unit analyses crime and determine when the crimes are likely to OCCUr in order to prevent their occurrence. Matters relating to administration of finances and budgetary matters are handled in the budget and finance section. Legal assistance, advice and documentation are provided by the legal assistance division. The public information section makes information relating to police activities known to the public. Such activities may include arrests and crime rates.
The information they provide may also help the public find ways of reducing instances that may render them prone to attacks and make the victims of crime. The clerical unit prepares documentation that is required for police bookkeeping. Bookkeeping ensures orderliness and clarity of police roles. The inspections unit conducts internal inspections to ensure compliance with all departmental policies, rules, procedures and regulations. Its role brings about the concept of transparency and accountability of police officers. The internal affairs entity investigates corruption and misconduct Of officers.
It is also the ethical unit in charge Of ensuring professionalism. Finally, there is the intelligence division. It is charged with the duty of analyzing radical, terrorist and organized crime groups that operate in that police department’s jurisdiction. All these units work to oversee and manage police work. The roles the administrative units play make possible the functions of the operations units. Without the assistance of the administrative department, the ground work of the rest of the officers would be hard to implement. The last subsystem is the auxiliary department.
The services of this department are meant to benefit all other departments in the police unit and are usually provided more regularly than the administrative roles. ( Dempsey, p. 22). The services provided are records, communication, property and evidence, laboratory, detention, identification, alcohol testing, maintenance, and equipment and supply. Organizational policies central to running the police agency Police activities are checked, managed and controlled by various policies that are meant to ensure that they do not misuse their power.
These policies are made up of legislations, ales, standards and procedures that guard The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics is a fundamental policy that is adhered to by the police officers. It is a basic manual that identifies and outlines the boundaries of the officers on and out of duty. The code of ethics also ensures that the officers perform in a standard that is up to date. It is a legislative policy that guards the organizational conduct and behavior in the agency. It is also under the code of ethics that there are defined levels of authority.
Legend these levels, there is a chain of command that must be obeyed. A junior officer cannot make isolations for a senior officer, neither can he disobey him. Orders come from above and any disobedience is severely punished in this chain. This chain brings about unity of codes and roles, because one gets direct command from an immediate senior, though the senior most in command can give a direction to any level of command, or individual. The code of ethics is one of the written organizational policies used in the police agency.
Authority in the police department not only gives power, but also responsibility. A senior officer is responsible for the juniors. Any misconduct on the part of the juniors is considered a failure on the senior. The senior officer is also accountable for all the activities of the juniors. Therefore, the juniors are required to report any findings on their departmental obligations to their immediate senior, just as they are any complaints. The findings and complaints follow the sequence of seniority until they reach the senior most officer.
Any misinformation or misconduct is not dealt with lightly, but is punished. Authority is also delegated. A senior police can allot authority to his deputy, or even another junior office, or to an officer in similar capacity but performing a different similar role. Delegated authority is just as good as the authority of the officer granting it ( Coroner, 2010, p. 170). It is only effective if it does not exceed the powers under it. Any use of excess powers and abuse Of authority is not handled lightly.
At times delegation Of authority is used to gauge candidates for possible leadership positions and if abused, greatly lessen the chances of the candidate. Other written organizational policy and procedures involve the evaluation criteria used in granting promotions. The technique used is not consistent but it involves oral and written exams, experience, past performance evaluation and use of assessment centers. Each department has its own unique procedure which it makes use of in granting promotions. The termination procedure is also under a written policy.
No termination can be effected without the knowledge of the person being terminated. This policy ensures that there is order in the process and that there isn’t any arbitrary termination based on preference instead of merit and demerits. (Dempsey, p. 25). The flow of communication is also policy based. Directives are usually disseminated from the superiors to the subordinates. A complex procedure is involved in following and implementing the art. This is a good way of tracking information because any miscommunication, misinformation, or loss of the same can be easily established within the chain of command.
Reception of information is however personal and individual analysis and interpretation is required based on one’s reason. Each police unit has a set of organizational guidelines. They guidelines set out the range of activities that are handled in the department and the most efficient ways of handling the same. These guidelines serve as a standard that can be consulted at any time when facing a particular or a new matter. These guidelines are amended and modified as often as possible to ensure that they remain valid and up to standard. In case of loopholes, new guidelines can be formulated.
These formulated guidelines take a series of processes and the chain of command is maintained (Coroner, 201 0, p. 172). Most of the time, the legal unit is tasked with this responsibility. Instructions for new policy may arise from the complaints by the public, change in law that makes it relevant to require new policy and any other legal reason that will deem it necessary to have new policy. Every department has rules and procedures that must be adhered to. Non-adherence warrants the deed for punishment which may take any form ranging from dismissal or striping of position.
Discipline is a must in the police force (Samoan, p. 140). Members of the agency are supposed to respect one another, and act with integrity when dealing with the public. There usually is a disciplinary committee charged with the role of disciplining disobedient officers. Conclusion The police agency is structured and organized into various departments. All these departments are governed by rules, procedures and guidelines that are directed towards meeting the main goal of the police agency, maintaining law ND order, and protecting life and property.