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 Metropolitan Police officers inLondon | |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | policeman (PL: policemen) policewoman (PL: policewomen) |
Activity sectors | Law enforcement public safety,civil service,public service,rescue, protection of private property |
| Description | |
Education required | Secondary or tertiary education |
Fields of employment | Public areas |
Related jobs | gendarmerie,military police,security guard,bodyguard,detective,immigration officer |
Apolice officer (also calledpoliceman orpolicewoman, cop,officer orconstable) is awarranted law employee of apolice force. In most countries,police officer is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the rankofficer is legally reserved formilitary personnel.[1]
Police officers are generally charged with the apprehension ofsuspects and the prevention, detection, and reporting ofcrime, protection and assistance of the general public, and themaintenance of public order. Police officers may be sworn to anoath, and have the power toarrest people anddetain them for a limited time, along with other duties and powers. Some officers are trained in special duties, such ascounter-terrorism,surveillance,child protection,VIPprotection,civil law enforcement, andinvestigation techniques into major crime includingfraud,rape,murder, anddrug trafficking. Although many police officers wear a corresponding uniform, some police officers are plain-clothed in order to pass themselves off as members of the public. In most countries police officers are given exemptions from certain laws to perform their duties. For example, an officer may use force if necessary to arrest or detain a person when it would ordinarily be assault. In some countries, officers can also violatetraffic laws to perform their duties.[2]
The word "police" comes from the Greekpoliteia, meaninggovernment, which came to mean its civil administration. The more general term for the function islaw enforcement officer or peace officer. Asheriff is typically the top police officer of a county, with that word coming from the person enforcing law over ashire. A person who has been deputized to serve the function of the sheriff is referred to as the deputy.[citation needed]
Police officers are those empowered by government to enforce the laws it creates. InThe Federalist collection of articles and essays,James Madison wrote: "If men were angels, no Government would be necessary". These words apply to those who serve government, including police.A common nickname for a police officer is "cop"; derived from the verb sense "to arrest", itself derived from "to grab". Thus, "someone who captures", a "copper", was shortened to just "cop".[3] It may also find its origin in the Latincapere, brought to English via theOld Frenchcaper.[4]
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The responsibilities of a police officer are varied, and may differ greatly from within one political context to another. Typical duties relate to keeping the peace, law enforcement, protection of people and property and the investigation of crimes. Officers are expected to respond to a variety of situations that may arise while they are on duty. Rules and guidelines dictate how an officer should behave within the community, and in many contexts, restrictions are placed on what the uniformed officer may wear. In some countries,rules and procedures dictate that a police officer is obliged to intervene in a criminal incident, even when off-duty. Police officers in nearly all countries retain their lawful powers while off duty.[5]
In the majority ofWestern legal systems, the major role of the police is to maintain order, keeping the peace through surveillance of the public, and the subsequent reporting and apprehension of suspected violators of the law. They also function todiscourage crimes through high-visibility policing, and most police forces have an investigative capability. Police have the legal authority to arrest and detain, usually granted by magistrates. Police officers also respond tocalls for service, along with routinecommunity policing.[citation needed]
Police are often used as anemergency service and may provide apublic safety function at large gatherings, as well as inemergencies,disasters,search and rescue operations, andtraffic collisions. To provide a prompt response in emergencies, the police often coordinate their operations withfire andemergency medical services. In some countries, individuals serve jointly as police officers as well asfirefighters (creating the role offire police). In many countries, there is a commonemergency telephone number that allows the police, firefighters, or medical services to be summoned to an emergency. Some countries, such as theUnited Kingdom, have introduced command procedures for use in major emergencies or disorder. In the UK, TheGold Silver Bronze command structure is a system set up to improve communications between ground-based officers and the control room. Typically, a Bronze Commander would be a senior officer on the ground, coordinating the efforts in the center of the emergency, Silver Commanders would be positioned in an 'Incident Control Room' erected to improve better communications at the scene, and a Gold Commander would be in overall command in the Control Room.[citation needed]
Police are also responsible for reprimanding minor offenders by issuingcitations which typically may result in the imposition offines, particularly for violations oftraffic law. Traffic enforcement is often, but not always, accomplished by police officers onpolice motorcycles—calledmotor officers, these officers refer to themotorcycles they ride on duty as simplymotors. Police are also trained to assist persons in distress, such as motorists whose cars have broken down and people experiencing a medical emergency. Police are typically trained in basicfirst aid such asCPR.[citation needed]
Somepark rangers are commissioned as law enforcement officers and carry out a law-enforcement role withinnational parks and other back-country wilderness and recreational areas, whereasmilitary police perform law enforcement functions within the military.[6]
In most countries, candidates for the police force must have completed some formal education.[7] Increasing numbers of people joining the police possesstertiary education[8] qualifications and in response to this, many police forces have developed a "fast-track" scheme whereby those withuniversity degrees spend two to three years as aconstable before receiving promotion to higher ranks, such assergeants orinspectors. (Officers who work within investigative divisions or plainclothes are not necessarily of a higher rank but merely have different duties.)[citation needed] Police officers are also recruited from those with experience in the military or security services. In the United States,state laws maycodify statewide qualification standards regarding age, education, criminal record, and training, but in other countries requirements are set by local police agencies. Generally, each police agency has different requirements. Promotion is not automatic and usually requires the candidate to pass some kind of examination, interview board or other selection procedure. Although promotion normally includes an increase insalary, it also brings with it an increase in responsibility and for most, an increase in administrative paperwork. There is no stigma in shunning promotion, as experienced line patrol officers are highly regarded.[citation needed]
Dependent upon each agency, but generally after completing two years of service, officers may apply for specialist positions, such asdetective,police dog handler,mounted police officer,motorcycle officer,water police officer, orfirearms officer (in countries where police are not routinely armed).[citation needed]
In some countries, includingSingapore, police ranks are supplemented throughconscription, similar tonational service in the military. Qualifications may thus be relaxed or enhanced depending on the target mix of conscripts. Conscripts face tougher physical requirements in areas such as eyesight, but minimum academic qualification requirements are less stringent. Some join as volunteers, again via differing qualification requirements.[citation needed]
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In some societies, police officers are paid relatively well compared to other occupations; their pay depends on what rank they are within their police force and how many years they have served.[9] In the United States, an average patrol officer's salary was $64,610 in 2021.[10] In London, capital of the UK, a police officer's average basic salary in 2020 was £36,773 per annum.[11] In the Netherlands, the average police officer working on the street is ranked in salary scale 6 to 9, €27,584 to €54,177 gross (€23,805 to €38,037 net) per year. Apart from these scales, there are higher functions which can increase an officer's salary.[12]
In some towns ofFairfield County, Connecticut, Police officers have earned $178,000-$312,000 with overtime.[13][14] Similar pay rates have made reports forNew Jersey andOakland, California police officers.[15][16] In 2023, a Senior Deputy with TheSan Francisco Sheriff's Office earned a top salary of double those in Connecticut.[17]
There are numerous concerns affecting thesafety and health of police officers, includingoccupational stress and death in the line of duty. On August 6, 2019,New Jersey Attorney GeneralGurbir Grewal announced the creation of the first U.S. state-wide program to support themental health of police officers. The goal of the program is to train officers in emotional resiliency and to help destigmatize mental health problems.[18]
Almost universally, police officers are authorized to use force, up to and includingdeadly force, when acting in a law enforcement capacity.[19] Although mostlaw enforcement agencies follow some variant of theuse of force continuum, where officers are only authorized to use the level of force required to match situational requirements, specific thresholds and responses vary betweenjurisdictions.[20] While officers are trained to avoid excessive use of force, and may be heldlegally accountable for infractions, the variability of law enforcement and its dependence onhuman judgment have made the subject an area ofcontroversy and research.[21][22]
In the performance of their duties, police officers may act unlawfully, either deliberately or as a result of errors in judgment.[23] Police accountability efforts strive to protect citizens and their rights by ensuring legal and effective law enforcement conduct, while affording individual officers the required autonomy, protection, anddiscretion. As an example, the use ofbody-worn cameras has been shown to reduce both instances of misconduct and complaints against officers.[24]
'We cannot fully comprehend the emotional and mental stress that our law enforcement officers suffer on a daily basis,' said Grewal during a press conference at the Newark Police Department to announce the New Jersey Resiliency Program for Law Enforcement. 'We owe it to them to not only combat the stigma associated with seeking help, but also give to them the tools they need to deal with the stress and trauma they endure.' The program is the first of its kind in the country, according to the Attorney General's office.
