Police
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Police
Police officers are people who work for a government and have been given special authority to enforce (that is, to make effective or working) their government's laws against different crimes by many methods. These methods range from investigating unusual events like burglaries or murders, to simply watching to see if anybody breaks the law, such as being posted in an airport lobby or patrolling a highway.
(Note: Following accepted practice, this article uses the term "officer" when talking about any person whose work is to do police functions. The title "officer" generally applies to anyone in the police even if they are below the rank of lieutenant.)
In different places and countries, "police" includes members of the sheriff's office, marshal's office, or public safety department. In Ireland, they are called gardai, in Russia, militsiyaner, and in French speaking countries, they may also be called surete or gendarmerie. The United States Government has many different kinds of police for different types of areas and situations.
Most police departments have most of their officers in two main groups: a "patrol" section consisting of uniformed officers, and a "detective" section consisting of officers who wear ordinary clothing. The building they work in is sometimes called a police station.
The patrol section uses marked cars equipped with warning lights, and often simply by being visible patrolling through the area, does much to make people who do not like to obey the law think twice before actually breaking the law. This principle is called "deterrence." The patrol section also enforces traffic laws and operates the local jail.
The detective section conducts more complicated investigations about cases involving fraud, illegal drugs, and prostitution.
In most countries, police officers have been trained to carry guns. Even in countries like the United Kingdom, where most police officers do not carry guns, more are being trained to do so. Firearms training emphasizes the firearm as an absolute last resort when no other option is available to defend the officer's life or that of another. But even if they do not carry guns, police almost always carry other things:
