Research paper on policing

Introduction

Security play a crucial role in national development as it helps people carry their daily activities without fear. Availability of adequate security in the region promotes regional integration and trade because states are able to explore mineral and natural resources, manufacture and process different products and services. Security is a global affair and every nation has the role of enhancing its security system and participating in international peacekeeping missions, when need arises. The government has the sole responsibility of protecting its citizens from internal and external attacks and ensuring that peace and harmony prevail in the society. However, the government cannot attain this goal without establishing law enforcing agencies, policing organizations and the criminal justice system. In most countries, the criminal justice system and policing organizations work in unison and have the obligation of providing adequate security to the people, protecting the country from external invasions and maintaining law and order in the society.
American is the leading superpower nation in the world with well-established military service and national intelligence system. Although this is the case, its security system heavily depends on the police department, which has evolved throughout history and formed an important facet of the national security system. Scholars affirm that British form of governance has influenced the history of American policing largely. During the colonial period, the people in England and colonial America provided security. In other words, the citizens were responsible for maintaining law and order in their respective communities. In England, people adopted kin police where they protected their relatives. Consequently, the American people employed a watch system that ensured that all people participated in providing security. The watch system required that members of the community arrest and punish criminals, provide social services and take part in crime control activities. However, policing in America and England became ineffective as they based on volunteer groups in the community (Palmiotto, 2000). In the 19th century, there was a paradigm shift because the responsibility of maintain law and order shifted from individuals to volunteer groups, which were community based. Frankpledge system was common in England and it consisted of groups of men mandated with the responsibility of enforcing law and order. One group consisted of 10 men and was known as 10 tythings. However, the groups were grouped into hundreds to form a shire, which was headed by shire reeve (sheriff). The shire reeve ensured that individuals performed their duties diligently and observed societal norms.
The same system had been implemented in America and sheriff, constables, and community-based groups were supposed to maintain law and order through policing. In order to enhance security, the Americans introduced night watch and day watch systems, but they were ineffective because some of the law enforcing officers socialized with criminals and slept while on duty. The period between 1700s and 1800s was characterized with riots and social unrest in England and America, and citizen-based groups were unable to maintain law and order. Based on this fact, the American government and British government formed the first publicly funded police department.

The impact of Sir Robert Peel on American policing

The relationship between US government and policing organizations
America is a federal state and comprises of two forms of governments namely; the federal government and state government. In the same breath, there are two forms of policing in America; Federal and state. Federal policing comprise federal agencies such as Federal Bureau of Investigation denoted as (FBI), Federal Bureau of Prisons and department of Homeland security, to name, but a few. On the other hand, state policing comprises three levels of policing. They include; state police, county sheriff, and municipal/local police (Gaines, 2011). State police also known as highway patrol control, protect state premises, and have authority in the whole state. The County sheriff maintains law, orders within their jurisdiction, and manages correction and prison facilities. Local/municipal police have jurisdiction in the cities and main towns. Although federal and state police units have different roles, duties and responsibilities, they depend and complement each other. The US government has a mutual and cordial relationship with policing organizations because it cannot function effectively without involving the various policing organizations. Lack of mutual and cordial relationship between the government and policing units will affect security and increase crime acts. However, penal codes ensure that there is mutual and cordial relationship between policing organizations and US governments.

References

Gaines, L. (2011). Policing In America. New York: Elsevier,.
Palmiotto, M. (2000). Community Policing: A Policing Strategy for the 21st Centur. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning,.
Repetto, T. (2012). American Police, a History: 1945-2012: The Blue Parade, Volume 2. New York: Enigma Books