Roles and Functions of the Police



Roles and Functions of the Police

Introduction

The police agency is mainly accountable for the protection of public, law maintenance and finding crimes in the state. It safeguards citizens from crime and look after their property and valuables. With the growing rate of crime, the responsibility of police is also increasing and thus, making it difficult for nations to develop. Therefore, the function of police is becoming more important than earlier. Law and orders are mainly planned and organized by the state but are actually implemented by the police force. Police plays very important role in executing justice therefore, they are called as rescuer of the society and state (Joshi, 2012).

Police is one of the most important organizations of society and are legislature of the government. In general, they are responsible for the security of people and society but in particular, they have different roles and functions (http://bprd.nic.in). They are not only responsible for the security of people and society but also accountable for state's properties and officials. For example, highway and traffic police, crime investigation department, emergency management, etc. their roles vary depending on the departments and the level of duties. The main three levels of police departments are local, state and federal (New Jersey State Police, 2012).

Functions of the Police agency

Although we call police as law enforcement officers but implementing criminal law is one of their major functions. According to Joshi, the functions are divided into three main categories: social services, maintaining order and controlling crime.

1. Social Service

In this service category, police provides assistance to people who need emergency help, ranging from providing medical assistance to finding missing relatives or friends. Overall, 50% of their services involve social services as compare to crime which is 20%. Some of the major social services are:

Providing proper assistance in case of fire

Charge the person involved in crimes without warrant, who commits crime like killing livestock, careless driving, make the street dirty, drunk or violent, hinder travelers etc.

2. Order maintenance

Order maintenance services include managing traffic, controlling crowd, determine public issues and matters, and eliminating illegal activities. They emphasize more on maintaining peace than law enforcing. The appropriate decision might be to arrest but the action is not so formal in domestic violence. The main functions under order maintenance services are:

Inspecting the places and shops that have unmanageable crowd and rowdy characters like clubs, gaming house, drinking spot etc.

Charging properties which are unclaimed and disposing it to the magistrate's order.

Managing and regulating public congregation and providing licensing

Discontinuing the procession that violates law of license

Securing and maintaining order in public places, roads, streets and public resorts and also prevent violence on occasions like public assemblies or any other event on roads and other places.

Disband any illegal assembly or congregation

Managing FIR system and provide paper documents to both complainant and accused.

3. Crime Control

In crime control services, the police involved in various activities like criminal and patrol investigation. The functions in this area are:

Implementing all orders and warrants that ...