Policing functions are performed within the local, state, and federal organizational levels depending on resources allocated and specific objectives which need to be achieved. Local, state, and federal levels of policing functions are mainly guided by existing laws which define the responsibilities of various policing agencies that operate on these levels.
Therefore, every policing agency has a clear role to play, and its officers have to follow standards that have been put in place to guide them in their duties. This essay discusses three main levels of policing and the functions they are required to perform according to the laws established.
Local Level
At this level, law enforcement agencies perform basic law enforcement functions, and they are based in locations that do not have serious law enforcement issues. Most local police units are run by sheriffs or county police departments, and they are mainly charged with providing security in communities that have low populations.
Law enforcement officers in such jurisdictions have strong working relationships with members of local communities, and they constantly engage to find out solutions to various issues they are facing. Since departments at the local level are not always fully resourced, law enforcement agencies are expected to form strong partnerships with community members to facilitate information sharing.
This approach allows law enforcement officers to use the information obtained from community members to prevent suspected criminal offenders from taking part in the crime.
However, in some instances, federal police officers do not share information with local law enforcement agencies (Walker & Katz, 2008, p. 52). In the long run, this leads to poor outcomes because local law enforcement officers have inadequate skills to deal with serious crimes that happen in surrounding communities.
State Level
At the state level of policing, law enforcement officers are mandated to patrol highways and to maintain law and order in metropolitan areas. State police agencies play an important role because their officers are expected to respond quickly to different distress calls to prevent serious crimes from happening.
There are specialized enforcement agencies operating at the state level which exchange information with federal law enforcement agencies in the country. They have limited powers to investigate and enforce laws within their jurisdictions, and as a result, they have to rely on external assistance.
However, lack of trust between state and federal law enforcement officers discourages collaborations between them, and this, in turn, leads to poor results. In some instances, federal law enforcement organizations disregard positive contributions made by state law enforcement agencies, and this leads to mutual hostility between the two parties.
Federal Policing Level
This level has policing agencies which are specialized to deal with different types of crimes that are linked with other crimes committed in different states. Federal law enforcement officers have specialized skills to investigate and resolve such crimes to ensure they do not threaten domestic peace and stability. They have specialized task forces that predict, conduct surveillance, and take legal action against suspected offenders.
In various locations, FBI, Homeland Security, and DEA have jurisdiction over local and state police agencies because they are empowered by the constitution to take control of domestic crimes that require more detailed investigations. Federal law enforcement officers use their analytical skills to assess previous incidents to determine how they are related to current crime patterns.
As a result, they can come up with effective strategies that allow them to study situational factors that enable criminals to commit serious offenses (Walker & Katz, 2008, p. 57). However, some federal policing officers are reluctant to share information with state police officers, and this hinders law enforcement in the country.
In total, there are more than 60 federal law enforcement agencies which specialize in performing specific roles as mandated by the law. Some of the largest federal law enforcement agencies include; Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Immigration Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Prisons duties (Walker & Katz, 2008, p. 61).
The increase in transnational crimes such as terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and money laundering, has encouraged all agencies in the criminal justice system to work harder to deter serious criminals from happening.
Many federal law enforcement agencies have established links with other international law enforcement agencies to keep themselves updated on international crime trends. As a result, this allows them to monitor transnational criminal networks to find out how they are likely to impact domestic law enforcement activities.
Possible Future Legal Changes
The rights and duties of local, police and state officers are likely to be standardized in the future to ensure uniformity across all law enforcement agencies. Uniform laws that stipulate the rights of police officers are likely to be enacted in the future, and all law enforcement agencies will be required to implement them.
As a result, these rights will eliminate current legal ambiguities which do not specify how welfare and disciplinary issues that affect policing officers in various jurisdictions should be handled. The legal system may be reformed to accommodate people from diverse cultural and racial groups in the criminal justice system, and this may require law enforcement agencies to change their operational rules.
Also, legislative changes may reduce politicians’ role in appointing police chiefs due to conflict of interest (Muraskin, R., & Roberts, 2009, p. 76). This may compel state law enforcement agencies to adhere to fair recruitment and selection policies during the hiring of senior law enforcement officers to fill vacant leadership positions.
In the future, law enforcement agencies may need to deal effectively with cultural changes within their jurisdictions, which influence sociological issues that are directly related to crime. As a result, they will be compelled to recruit officers who understand crucial cultural factors such as foreign languages and specific attitudes that are prevalent in specific demographic groups.
Standardization of law enforcement officers’ rights will enable leaders of various law enforcement agencies to formulate effective work strategies that address the welfare of police officers. This will reduce conflicts between police officers and their superiors at the workplace (Muraskin, R., & Roberts, 2009, p. 79).
More importantly, policing agencies will improve the value of their operations by dealing effectively with various law enforcement challenges they face in their jurisdictions.
If politicians no longer have the power to influence the appointments of senior police chiefs, law enforcement agencies will become more transparent in their dealings. Therefore, this will improve public perceptions of law enforcement agencies because senior law enforcement officers will be in a position to provide good leadership.
Conclusion
In conclusion, all three levels of policing are important for the country’s wellbeing. All policing agencies should perform their responsibilities as stipulated by the law to achieve good results.
References
Muraskin, R., & Roberts, A. R. (2009). Visions for change: Crime and justice in the twenty -first century. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Walker, S., & Katz, C.M. (2008). The police in America: An introduction. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.