Police and Community & Social Contracting

Police and Community & Social Contracting

  • Police authority is derived from the social contract, which implies that policing is based on the collective agreement of a community to create and enforce laws for the common good.

Police Mission

  • The mission of the police, as articulated by Sir Robert Peel, is primarily focused on the reduction of crime and disorder within society.

  • Effective policing is not merely about action but is measured by the absence of crime and disorder; this reflects the true test of an effective police force.

Types of Policing

Proactive Policing

  • Definition: This involves measures taken to prevent crime before it occurs, with the goal of minimizing opportunities for criminal activity.

Reactive Policing

  • Definition: This is a response to crimes after they have occurred, addressing incidents as they arise or are reported.

Preventative Patrol

  • Preventative patrol is described as the dominant policing strategy, characterized by the active presence of uniformed officers on the streets.

  • Goals of preventative patrol include:

    1. Deter Crime: The visibility of police officers serves to discourage potential criminals from committing offenses.

    2. Intercept Crime in Progress: Officers are positioned to react swiftly to crimes as they occur, increasing the chances of intervention.

    3. Increase Community Feelings of Safety and Security: By interacting with the community, police can enhance the public's perception of safety.

    4. Prepare for Emergency Response: Officers are strategically placed to ensure quick response to emergencies.

Patrol and Response Time

  • Response Time Definition: It is the duration taken for police officers to respond to calls for service.

    • Start Time: Initiated when the dispatcher receives the call for service.

    • End Time: Concluded when the officers arrive on the scene of the incident.

  • Observation: Routine calls are statistically more frequent than emergency calls, indicating the day-to-day nature of police work.

Criminal Investigation

  • Definition: The process encompasses the discovering, collecting, preparing, identifying, and presenting evidence to ascertain the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a crime, often referred to as the "5 Ws and 1 H".

Three Parts of Criminal Investigation

  1. Preliminary Investigation: Initial assessment of the incident, collecting basic information, and determining the need for further action.

  2. Crime Scene Investigation: A thorough examination and documentation of the crime scene to collect evidence.

  3. Ongoing Investigation: This includes follow-up interviews, pursuit of leads, and continued information gathering to build a case.