Society and Policing
- The police force is typically known to maintain public safety, order, enforcing the judicial laws, detecting cases, preventing and taking investigations on various criminal activities. The functions of the police are referred to as police. Different countries, however, differ on the functionality of the police force. The United States and China policing vary by far and wide. Taking, for instance, in the United States of America, the proper role of the police is to enforce the law and ensure that the society if free, to promote public peace and safety (Palmiotto and Unnithan, 2011, p.26). Additionally, they are endowed with proper policing practices that require them to build a healthy relationship with their community and respect their civil liberties. Therefore, the critical role of the police in the U.S is to enforce the law. On the other hand, it is entirely unclear if there are police in China. China has the People Armed Police, whose purpose is to maintain internal security and ensure that the citizens are protected from any harm. The police force law in China, which was passed in August 2009, it gave the police the mandate to respond to the terrorist attacks and the riots in the country (Palmiotto and Unnithan, 2011, p.30). It is quite evident that the functions of police in both countries are different.
Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
- Officer Smith’s actions are justified. The suspect is holding the gun was escaping from Smith’s order of arrest. According to Palmiotto and Unnithan, the police are given the mandate to use two kinds of forces. Reasonable force and deadly force (Palmiotto and Unnithan, 2011). The U.S government Supreme Court, passed the law that in case a suspect has the power to cause harm to the police officer or is trying to escape, the police officer has the mandate to use deadly force against the suspect one to prevent the suspect from harming the officer and two to prevent the suspect from escaping. However, before using deadly force, the police officer is advised to issue warnings to the suspect when possible. For Officer Smith’s Scenario, he had previously advised the suspect to stop, or he will shoot, but the suspect kept running, making the situation even worse. It would have been termed as an injustice if Officer Smith used deadly force on the suspect, yet he or she had stopped immediately, he posed a threat to him. In conclusion, it is essential to note the scenarios to which a police officer is advised to use force (Palmiotto and Unnithan, 2011). A police officer only uses power depending on how severe the crime is, on whether the suspect posed a threat or not and whether the suspect is resisting the order of arrest and is attempting to escape.
- Police officers are endowed to them by the Supreme Court, roles, responsibilities, and powers. The functions of the police officers have been diverted from being warriors to being guardians. The police functions are the individuals who maintain peace, enforce the law, protect the citizens from danger, protect property too, and investigate the crimes done in the society. The police also have the role of arresting a suspect and detaining them. One would ask how police can divert from being a warrior to being a guardian. Their relationship with the citizens makes them guardians. A guardian has the responsibility to protect, care, and ensure the total safety of the children. That is precisely what police officers do on citizens. The police officers ensure that the citizen is protected from any harm, may it be internal or external. They also arrest and detain anyone who poses a threat to the lives of the public. They have a role in ensuring peace, security, and harmony in the country. Police officers sacrifice their safety and offer to go through numerous challenges for the sake of the citizens. They get exposed to life-threatening situations and environments, but still, they choose to fight against the enemies and protect the public.
- In my own opinion, police should be referred to as warriors, not just guardians. They are warriors of the entire county and their personal life too. A warrior is defined as a well-experienced soldier or a fighter. Police officers are fighters and soldiers who fight against the threats and evils of society. Firstly, the People Armed Police in China is endowed with the power to fight against terrorist threats and respond to riots in the country. Terrorist is known to be life-threatening, however, police put their lives in the line to protect the country. Secondly, police officers enforce laws, ensure that peace is enhanced in the country, and work day and night to ensure that the law offenders are arrested. Again they put their lives at risk. Finally, police officers should be called warriors as they investigate criminal activities in society and ensure that justice is served. It would be fair enough not to refer police officers as guardians but warriors. They put their lives at risk to ensure that laws are enforced and peace is enhanced.