Police notes for Criminology course

1. POLICE
Class notes
“To Serve and Protect”

3. I. Intro
A. 14,000 law enforcement agencies at
local, state, and federal level
1. 80% at local level
B. 850,000 police officers and
detectives
1. Ranges from 1-2 officers in
small towns to 40,000 in NYC.
2. 3.5 officers for every 1000
people in the US

4. D. Responsibilities of the police:
1. To enforce laws
2. To provide services
3. To prevent crime
4. To preserve the peace

5. II. Historical Perspective
A. NYC--first to have a modern police dept.
(1844).
B. Police soon became primary agents of
social control.
C. Two main criticisms:
1. Can be used to preserve position of
people in power (corruption)
2. May sweep up innocent people

6. Historical, cont.
New York City Police Dept. Budget in 1894:
Regular Appropriation…….…….$5,139,148
Brothel Contribution……….…….$8,120,000
Saloon Contributions……….…...$1,820,000
Gambling House Contributions…..$165,000
Merchants, peddlers etc……………$50,000
New Members of Force…………….$60,000
Grand Total……………….…….$15,354,148
Source: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris (1979)
Also published in NYC guidebooks at the time, along with height of the Statue of Liberty, and length of the Brooklyn Bridge

7. III. Local Level
A. Rural
1. Less crime, stronger social bond,
more social control
B. Municipal
1. More crime, weaker social bond, less
social control
C. County
1. Sheriff is primary officer, elected.

8. IV. State Level
A. State Patrol
1. Traffic enforcement
B. State Police
1. Wider authority than local
2. Includes enforcing laws on
gambling, natural resources,
alcohol sale, etc.

9. V. Federal Level
A. FBI
1. Founded in 1908
2. Investigates federal crimes
3. Assists state and local agents
3. Director is Robert Mueller (2001)
B. Other agencies
1. DEA, ATF, US Marshals, Fish and
Wildlife Service, etc.