Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 05/24/94
AJS230 19946-20016	LEC	3 Credit(s)	3 Period(s)
The Police Function
Theories of procedures and methods of operations of public police with emphasis on discretionary powers available to the working police officer. Career opportunities and current trends in law enforcement presented. Prerequisites: None.

Go to Competencies    Go to Outline
 

MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
AJS230   19946-20016	The Police Function

1.	Analyze the relationship between government structure and policing in American society. (I)
2.	Identify and describe the principal roles and functions of the police in American society and describe the relationship between the police and the law. (I)
3.	Identify and describe the various types of police departments and types of police officers commonly found in policing. (I)
4.	Identify the agencies found at the federal, state, and local levels of policing and describe the role and function of each. (I)
5.	Trace the history of policing from ancient times to the modern era. (II)
6.	Identify and describe the major components of policing in modern America. (II)
7.	Identify and describe the elements involved in the police selection process. (III)
8.	Describe the major components of police officer training and career development programs. (III)
9.	Identify and describe major organizational theories and relate their application to police administration and policing. (IV)
10.	Outline and describe the major methods of police patrol and describe appropriate patrol strategies and procedures for selected situations. (V)
11.	Review the history of criminal investigation and identify and describe the processes and procedures appropriate to preliminary and follow-up investigations. (V)
12.	Describe the role of the police as it relates to traffic enforcement and identify and describe special problems associated with traffic enforcement. (V)
13.	Outline and describe the nature of police and administrative discretion and relate criteria involved in the decision to arrest or investigate and report. (VI)
14.	Identify and describe the internal and external mechanisms which influence and control police discretion. (VI)
15.	Identify and describe theoretical perspectives used to analyze the culture of policing. (VII)
16.	Identify and describe major components of policing as a subculture. (VII)
17.	Identify and describe significant job related issues associated with policing. (VII)
18.	Analyze the role and function of policing in the modern community. (VIII)
19.	Describe the future of policing including the impact of technology on police work. (IX)

Go to Description    Go to top of Competencies
 

MCCCD Official Course Outline:
AJS230   19946-20016	The Police Function

I. Police in American Society A. Government Structure and Policing 1. Constitutional Government 2. Separation of Powers 3. Principles of Federalism B. Roles and Functions of Police in Modern Society 1. Police and the Law 2. Roles Performed by Police 3. Police Activities C. Models of Police Officers and Policing 1. Types of Departments 2. Types of Officers D. Diversity of the Police Establishment 1. Federal Law Enforcement 2. State Law Enforcement 3. Local Law Enforcement II. Historical Overview of Policing A. Policing in Ancient Times B. Police Development in England C. Policing in Early America D. Policing in Modern America 1. Police Entrenchment 2. Reform Efforts 3. Professional Policing 4. Return of Public and Community Relations III. Toward a Theory of Police Selection A. Affirmative Action 1. Policy 2. Procedure B. Police Selection 1. Establishing Standards 2. Recruitment 3. Testing 4. Review Boards C. Police Training 1. Basic Training 2. Field Training Officer Programs 3. In-Service Training D. Officer Career Development 1. Lateral Expansion 2. Vertical Expansion IV. Police Organization and Management A. Principles of Organization and Management 1. Levels of Organization 2. Classical Organizational Principles B. Human Relations Theory 1. Major Theories 2. Application to Police Administration C. Systems Theory 1. Application to Police Administration 2. Application to Policing V. Police Operations/Allocation of Personnel A. Police Patrol 1. Methods of Patrol 2. Deployment of Patrol Personnel 3. Police Patrol Strategies 4. Crimes in Progress 5. Crowd and Riot Control 6. Arrest and Apprehension Techniques 7. Prisoner Restraint, Search, and Custody B. Criminal Investigation 1. Historical Overview 2. Preliminary 3. Follow-up 4. Effectiveness C. Traffic Function 1. Enforcement 2. Special Enforcement Problems VI. Police and Administrative Discretion A. Discretionary Situations 1. Domestic Violence 2. Vice-Crimes 3. Disenfranchised Populations B. Decision to Arrest or Investigate and Report 1. Offender Based Criteria 2. Situation Based Criteria 3. System Based Criteria C. Control of Police Discretion 1. Internal Control Mechanisms 2. External Control Mechanisms VII. Police Culture and Behavior A. Theoretical Perspectives 1. Psychological 2. Sociological 3. Anthropological B. Police as a Subculture 1. World View 2. Ethos 3. Themes 4. Postulates 5. Ethics C. Job Related Concerns 1. Stress 2. Deviant Behavior 3. Illegal Behavior 4. Use of Force 5. Civil Liability VIII. Police in the Modern Community A. Public Perceptions of Police 1. Public Attitude 2. Police-Community Relations B. Crime Prevention 1. Primary Crime Prevention Programs 2. Community Oriented Policing C. Policing the Drug Problem 1. Drug Enforcement Techniques/Programs 2. Gang Strategies 3. Neighborhood Strategies IX. Future of Policing A. Changing Roles and Functions B. Changing Political and Legal Climates C. Impact of Technology 1. Information Management 2. Communication Management 3. Field Operations

Go to Description    Go to top of Competencies    Go to top of Outline