Ch.2 Professional Policing Flashcards
With European methods. Policing in America share these concepts?
County
Sherrif
Common law
Bobby/foot patrol
In policing, what does “watch” referr to?
Night time policing
In policing, what does “Ward” referr to?
Daytime policing
What era of policing shares these characteristics?
- The use of the automobile rapid response to police calls for service.
- the advent of radio communications allowed calls for service to be dispatched to officers in the field.
- many officers were reassigned from walking beats to radio cars.
- the assignment of officers from walking beats initiated the distancing of the police from the individual citizens through increased mobility.
- the police performance increased due to rapid response, while actual communications with citizens decreased.
- the absence of quality evaluation was prevalent throughout the period.
- during this era, law enforcement personnel (especially the beat officers) were known by the citizens in the areas in which they worked.
- this relationship created a bond that made the officer and ownership of his work area.the community also felt a more personal relationship with their officers.
- American policing went through a reform era marked by the contributions of such men as August Vollmer, whose goal was to bring professionalism to the police. This age also saw the emergence of the present federal law enforcement system and the contributions of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI.
- The national commission on law observance and enforcement (Wickersham commission) reported in 1931 “the greatest promise for the future of policing is the college or university”.
From 1900’s through the 1940’s
What era shared these characteristics of policing?
- Technology continued to improve, with computers and communications gradually becoming commonplace.
- The use of automobiles improved response time to calls for service.
- The increased use of automobile travel and technology created a fast paced service style, which further removed peace officers from constant citizen contact.
- the professional police model developed with emphasis on accountability and increased standards. Success measure such as response time, crime statistics, and citizen complaints became common indicators of police performance.
- Police professionalism was again an issue in the late 60’s when the president’s commission on law enforcement and the administration of Justice stated in 1967 that, in their opinion, police personnel should have two or four years of college education. This commission indicated that the ultimate aim of all police departments was for personnel with General enforcement powers to have bachelorettes degrees.
- The national Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals (NAC) reported in 1973 that the police still had low educational requirements. The NAC cited the recommendations of the 1967 commission and established minimum entry-level requirements. The immediate educational standard was to be one year of college by 1975, three years of college by 1978, and a bachelorette degree by 1982. A study was done in 1986 of entry level educational requirements to determine which of the NAC’s goal had been met. The responding 289 agencies reported that 0.9% had no minimum educational requirement, 84.8% had a high school or G.E.D. Requirement, and 0.6% required a four- year bachelorette degree.
- Evaluation research became a tool for success measurement.
- The law enforcement Assistance Administration(LEAA) funded numerous projects to speed up the criminal Justice process.
- The development and use of numerous specialized units resulted in the removal of patrol officers from most follow-up activities.
- The patrol system became an incident-driven approach in which police officers often became little more than report takers in most communities.
- During this era, the police became controlled by the radio system. As a result of officers being required to answer calls for police services in a larger area, the police officer lost much of the positive relationship and communications with the community.
From 1950’s through the 1970’s
What era of policing shares these characteristics?
- technology continues to improve with computers, mobile devices, and weapons.
From 1980 through today
After being a province of Mexico. Texas became a free and independent republic after the battle of San Jacinto during what year?
1836
Stephen F. Austin employed a militia group to protect the settlers from Indian and bandit raids. This group later became known as ___________?
Texas Rangers
Why did the watch/ward system not evolve in Texas?
Because of it’s large territory and absence of large cities/urban areas.
Sec. 18. DIVISION OF COUNTIES INTO PRECINCTS; JUSTICES OF THE PEACE AND CONSTABLES; COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. (a) Each county in the State with a population of 50,000 or more, according to the most recent federal census, from time to time, for the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not less than four and not more than eight precincts. Each county in the State with a population of 18,000 or more but less than 50,000, according to the most recent federal census, from time to time, for the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not less than two and not more than eight precincts. Each county in the State with a population of less than 18,000, according to the most recent federal census, from time to time, for the convenience of the people, shall be designated as a single precinct or, if the Commissioners Court determines that the county needs more than one precinct, shall be divided into not more than four precincts. Notwithstanding the population requirements of this subsection, Chambers County and Randall County, from time to time, for the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not less than two and not more than six precincts. A division or designation under this subsection shall be made by the Commissioners Court provided for by this Constitution. Except as provided by this section, in each such precinct there shall be elected one Justice of the Peace and one Constable, each of whom shall hold his office for four years and until his successor shall be elected and qualified; provided that in a county with a population of less than 150,000, according to the most recent federal census, in any precinct in which there may be a city of 18,000 or more inhabitants, there shall be elected two Justices of the Peace, and in a county with a population of 150,000 or more, according to the most recent federal census, each precinct may contain more than one Justice of the Peace Court. Notwithstanding the population requirements of this subsection, any county that is divided into four or more precincts on November 2, 1999, shall continue to be divided into not less than four precincts.
(b) Each county shall, in the manner provided for justice of the peace and constable precincts, be divided into four commissioners precincts in each of which there shall be elected by the qualified voters thereof one County Commissioner, who shall hold his office for four years and until his successor shall be elected and qualified. The County Commissioners so chosen, with the County Judge as presiding officer, shall compose the County Commissioners Court, which shall exercise such powers and jurisdiction over all county business, as is conferred by this Constitution and the laws of the State, or as may be hereafter prescribed.
(c) When the boundaries of justice of the peace and constable precincts are changed, each Justice and Constable in office on the effective date of the change, or elected to a term of office beginning on or after the effective date of the change, shall serve in the precinct in which the person resides for the term to which each was elected or appointed, even though the change in boundaries places the person’s residence outside the precinct for which he was elected or appointed, abolishes the precinct for which he was elected or appointed, or temporarily results in extra Justices or Constables serving in a precinct. When, as a result of a change of precinct boundaries, a vacancy occurs in the office of Justice of the Peace or Constable, the Commissioners Court shall fill the vacancy by appointment until the next general election.
(d) When the boundaries of commissioners precincts are changed, each commissioner in office on the effective date of the change, or elected to a term of office beginning on or after the effective date of the change, shall serve in the precinct to which each was elected or appointed for the entire term to which each was elected or appointed, even though the change in boundaries places the person’s residence outside the precinct for which he was elected or appointed.
(e) The office of Constable is abolished in Mills County, Reagan County, and Roberts County. The powers, duties, and records of the office are transferred to the County Sheriff.
(f) The Legislature by general law may prescribe the qualifications of constables.
(g) (Redesignated as Subsec. (f) Nov. 6, 2001.)
(h) The commissioners court of a county may declare the office of constable in a precinct dormant if at least seven consecutive years have passed since the end of the term of the person who was last elected or appointed to the office and during that period of time no person was elected to fill that office, or during that period a person was elected to that office, but the person failed to meet the qualifications of that office or failed to assume the duties of that office. If an office of constable is declared dormant, the office may not be filled by election or appointment and the previous officeholder does not continue to hold the office under Subsection (a) of this section or Section 17, Article XVI, of this constitution. The records of an office of constable declared dormant are transferred to the county clerk of the county. The commissioners court may reinstate an office of constable declared dormant by vote of the commissioners court or by calling an election in the precinct to reinstate the office. The commissioners court shall call an election to reinstate the office if the commissioners court receives a petition signed by at least 10 percent of the qualified voters of the precinct. If an election is called under this subsection, the commissioners court shall order the ballot for the election to be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition: “Reinstating the office of Constable of Precinct No. ___ that was previously declared dormant.” The office of constable is reinstated if a majority of the voters of the precinct voting on the question at the election approve the reinstatement.
Constables
There shall be elected by the qualified voters of each county a member, who shall hold his office for the term of four years, whose duties, qualifications, perquisites, and fees of office, shall be prescribed by the Legislature, and vacancies in whose office shall be filled by the Commissioners Court until the next general election.
Sherrif
(a) This governing body may establish and regulate a municipal police force.
(b) The governing body by ordinance may provide for the appointment of police officers the governing body considers necessary and for the terms of office and qualifications of the officers.
(c) The governing body by ordinance may provide that the police officers serve at the pleasure of the governing body.
(d) Each police officer shall execute a bond as the governing body may require. The bond must be conditioned that the officer will faithfully perform the officer’s duties.
(e) A police officer has:
(1) the powers, rights, duties, and jurisdiction granted to or imposed on a peace officer by the Code of Criminal Procedure; and
(2) other powers and duties prescribed by the governing body.
(f) A police officer may serve in each county in which the municipality is located all process issued by a municipal court.
Police force of a Type A General-law municipality
This governing body may appoint police officers that the governing body considers necessary and may define the duties of the officers.
Police force of Type C General-Law municipality
This municipality may provide for a police department.
Police force of Home-Rule Municipality
What is occupations code?
It is the statutory authority for the commission to establish rules that law enforcement agencies and officers must follow.
