Essay Sample on Role of The Police in England And Wales

Introduction

Police in England and Wales play a significant role considering their daily aims and goals in the field. According to Loveday (2018, p.28), "policing is about the exercise of power, and there are competing options for policing priorities and style." Criminal justice in these regions is highly dependent on police officers who engage in the prevention, apprehending, and security aspects of citizens. Police officers focus on bringing order and safety across the streets of Wales and England. Some of the major roles played by the police include prevention of crimes, pursuing the lawbreakers, protecting, helping, and reassuring communities' wellbeing.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Policing in England

Policing in England was established from a private force of elite members in the society (Joyce and Lister, 2014). Individuals who could not hire guards depend on an informal and shared form of protection referred to as kin policing (Jones and Lister, 2019, p. 552). Citizens should ensure their safety, guard communities, and report any criminal activities to law courts. The kin policing was implemented until the 1960s when terrorism acts triggered more appropriate strategies (Vollaard, 2012, P. 262). Additional organized and scientific law enforcement was established in the Act of 1964, ensuring that the public needs were met. These enhancements were followed by various innovative transformations in the police force sector, which continued to date. Currently, these forces in England and wales are termed as industries rather than agencies due to the many roles they play, consequently increasing productivity. The authority and responsibility granted to the police ensure that all the duties are exhibited efficiently.

Firstly, the police in England and Wales plays the role of preventing crime. The responsibility ensures that the nation is safe from violence and other conflicts. A survey carried out by the British Crime agency found out that 67 percent of participants strongly agreed that local police makes them confident about their security (Vollaard, 2012, P. 262). The police create a sense of wellbeing by assuring the public that their safety is prioritized, hence living with no fear of harm or end of lives. Prevention of crime has been associated with the length of prison sentences. According to Joyce and Lister (2014), a conditional time of prison sentence upon a person's offense history is a powerful approach to preventing criminal activities. The action by the police is aimed at ensuring an individual does to repeat an offense committed. The thoughts of arrest by the police and imprisonment make individuals avoid crimes since life in prison means a lack of freedom. Police also play the role of preventing crimes through frequent patrolling of regions during the day and night while they monitor behaviors. There are reduced chances of crimes occurring in that region or larger scale misconduct being produced.

Pursuing and Bringing to Justice

Secondly, police officers in England and Wales are responsible for pursuing and bringing to justice the lawbreakers. Individuals who commit crimes must be punished, and police are obligated to ensure that they pay for their wrongdoings. The achievement of this process starts with the act of reporting criminal activities. Once conveyed, the police can then investigate the crime and find justice for the affected victims. There is a need for enough evidence which can be used in charging someone for the case reported. Police play this role of punishing lawbreakers both with minor and major criminal actions. According to Loveday (2018, p.29), it is necessary to pursue even small crime cases to reduce the probable reoffence of major misconducts. Some of the ways police in England punish these offenders include offering warning or caution, resolution by the community, penalty notice, or giving prison sentences depending on the extent of crime (Jones and Lister, 2019, p. 554). For instance, in the Lock-Up program in England, young teenagers are arrested by the police due to minor cases and escorted in custody to serve their punishment (Vollaard, 2012, P. 262). These police actions aim to bring justice since the individuals had broken the law and needed to be pursued.

Thirdly, police officers play the role of protecting, helping, and reassuring the community they serve. Jones and Lister (2019, p. 552) state that their community responsibility is much more than most public populations assume or generally believe. The police in England and Wales are obligated to assure people in the society of their safety by locating local officers every hour of the day can help in case need occurs. Also, the residents have the opportunity of contacting the police in case they are worried about their security, suspicious of any criminal activity or violent scenarios within the surrounding environs. Since it is their responsibility, police always respond fast to any call of action. "In modern society, police departments are enormous bureaucracies that are concerned with their own safety and security as well as the safety of the broader community" (Loveday, 2018, p.30). The statement indicates that police are responsible for securing people in the community and prioritizing the public's safety. Concerning reassuring the community, police have a role of making people who they serve feel protected, loved, safe, and sense of belonging in their groups (Jones and Lister, 2019, p. 552). To achieve this role, local meetings are occasionally held in these communities where PCSOs talk to regular people living in the region. They address progress of security in the area, work being done to enhance their responsibility, and matters of concern or changed they would desire as a community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, police in England and Wales play a significant role in ensuring the public's safety. The establishment of strong police forces in these regions aimed to enhance security since the terror threats were prevalent. Police are responsible for averting criminal activities and pursuing individuals who break the law. They are also obligated to guard, aid, and assure the public they serve their protection. To achieve these roles, police officers need to prioritize the concern of the communities and safeguard themselves. Execution of these responsibilities ensures that England and Wale's streets are kept in order and away from terrorism or violence.

References

Jones, T., and Lister, S., 2019. Localism and police governance in England & Wales: Exploring continuity and change. European Journal of Criminology, 16(5), pp.552-572.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370819860689

Joyce, P. and Lister, S., 2014. Scrutinising the role of the Police and Crime Panel in the new era of police governance in England and Wales. Safer Communities.
https://doi.org/10.1108/sc-10-2013-0021

Loveday, B., 2018. Police and crime commissioners: Developing and sustaining a new model of police governance in England and Wales. International journal of police science & management, 20(1), pp.28-37. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461355717748974

Vollaard, B., 2013. Preventing crime through selective incapacitation. The Economic Journal, 123(567), pp.262-284. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.