law enforcement midterm

positive stereotypes

heroes who risk their lives and should not be criticized

negative stereotypes

poor education, undertrained, prejudiced, brutal, and corrupt

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act

prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

bona fide occupational qualifications

a legal exception that allows employers to consider factors like age, gender, or religion when hiring employees, if those characteristics are absolutely necessary to perform the job effective

genuine occupational qualification

another term for bona fide occupational qualification

equal employment opportunity index

a metric used to measure how well a company or organization adheres to the principles of equal employment opportunity

affirmative action

means that an employer must take positive steps (hence, affirmative action) to remedy past discrimination. Affirmative action originated in 1965, with presidential Executive Order 11246, which required all federal contractors to develop written affirmative action programs to correct “underutilization” of racial and ethnic minorities or women.

in-service training

a process of classroom and firearms training that you'll be attending throughout the rest of your career

probationary period

a time when a newly hired police officer is closely evaluated to determine whether they possess the necessary skills, character, and suitability to become a fully certified officer. This allows the department to assess their performance and conduct before granting them a permanent position. 

purpose of psychological testing

ensures mental stability, identifies behavioral traits, reduces liability

FTO

feild training officer. an experienced officer responsible for training and mentoring new recruits during their probationary period.

civil service system

s a structured hiring and employment process used by government agencies, including law enforcement, to ensure fairness, merit-based selection, and job security

benefits of seniority system

job security, fair promotion, better schedules, higher pay

code of silence

unwritten rule in law enforcement where officers avoid reporting misconduct by their colleagues, often out of loyalty, fear of retaliation, or department culture.

decertification

the process of revoking a police officer’s certification or license, preventing them from serving as a law enforcement officer.

how Herbert Packer defines tension

the inherent conflict between the need to efficiently control crime (represented by the "crime control model") and the need to protect individual rights and liberties through due process (represented by the "due process model")

various styles of policing

watchmen, legalistic, service

watchmen style policing

Officers primarily focus on preventing and responding to disturbances and minor crimes, using discretion when dealing with offenders.

service style policing

Officers act as community service providers, focusing on solving problems and addressing the needs of the community. They may deal with social issues, such as homelessness or mental illness, and offer referrals to services.

legalistic style of policing

Officers enforce the law uniformly and with little discretion, making arrests and issuing citations for all violations, regardless of severity

how patrol officers avoid work

A dispatcher assumes that an officer is still busy with the call (committed) until he or she reports that the call has been completed. Officers can create free time for themselves by simply delaying that call.

reverse 911 system

a communication tool used by local governments or emergency agencies to send outgoing alerts or notifications to residents within a specific area.