Law enforcement

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lieutenant debriefing New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers at Times Square. The NYPD is the largest police force in the United States, with a uniformed force of almost 35,000 officers as of 2021.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers boarding a ship
Indonesian National Police officers during foot patrol

Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society.[1] The term encompasses police, courts, and corrections.

Modern state legal codes use the term peace officer, or law enforcement officer, to include every person vested by the legislating state with police power or authority, traditionally, anyone "sworn or badged, who can arrest any person for a violation of criminal law, is included under the umbrella term of law enforcement.

Although law enforcement may be most concerned with the prevention and punishment of crimes, organizations exist to discourage a wide variety of non-criminal violations of rules and norms, effected through the imposition of less severe consequences such as probation.

Organizations[]

Main article: List of law enforcement agencies

Most law enforcement is conducted by some type of law enforcement agency, with the most typical agency fulfilling this role being the police. Social investment in enforcement through such organizations can be massive, both in terms of the resources invested in the activity, and in the number of people professionally engaged to perform those functions.[2]

Law enforcement agencies tend to be limited to operating within a specified jurisdiction. In some cases, jurisdiction may overlap in between organizations; for example, in the United States, each state has its own statewide law enforcement arms, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation is able to act against certain types of crimes occurring in any state. Various specialized segments of society may have their own internal law enforcement arrangements. For example, military organizations may have military police.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ New Law Journal - Volume 123, Part 1 - Page 358, 1974
  2. ^ Kären M. Hess, Christine Hess Orthmann, Introduction to Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (2008), p. 1.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""