Defining Features of the Police Role

• What are the two defining features of the police role? What do these two defining key features do?

  The two defining features of the police role are:

  1. The authority of the police.
  2. The authority to use force.

  These two defining key features means that the police can use their authority to deprive citizens of their freedom as well as use physical force and even lethal force.
• What are the three primary activities of the police?


  The three primary activities of the police are:

  1. Crime Control: Involves responding and investigating crimes and patrolling the streets to prevent offences from occurring.
  2. Order Maintenance: Designed to prevent and control behaviour that disturbs public peace. This includes domestic disputes and conflicts that arises between citizens. It is this role that police receive criticism.
  3. Crime Prevention and Service: Requires collaborating with community partners to prevent crime and providing a range of services to the community.
• Core Policing

  Referred to as the "quality-of-life policing." This involves the police playing a multi-faceted role in the community which includes collaborative partnerships with the community.