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All police agencies, large and small, have similar problems and responsibilities. Each engages in
common activities that prevent crime and disorder, preserve the peace, and protect individual life and
property. Police work is often thought of as confrontations between police officers and hardened
criminals; this frequently is the case. In many instances, however, police officers deal with quite different
and surprisingly varied situations.
Police activities can be divided into two functions: line and staff. Line functions involve activities that
result directly in meeting police service goals; staff activities help administrators organize and manage
the police agency. The line functions common to most municipal police departments include patrol,
investigation, vice, traffic, juvenile, and crime prevention.
LINE FUNCTIONS
At the center of police law enforcement is patrol. This involves movement of uniformed police personnel,
on foot or in vehicles, through designated areas. In most departments, at least half of all police personnel
are assigned to patrol. Officers on patrol have a variety of duties that include interviewing and
interrogating suspects and arresting lawbreakers; controlling crowds at public gatherings; enforcing laws
regulating public conduct; intervening in personal, family, and public disputes; issuing warnings and
citations; and providing miscellaneous services to members of the public. Although patrol officers spend
more time carrying out routine police services than catching criminals, their importance cannot be
underestimated. Because their primary duties are performed on the street, patrol officers are the most
visible representatives of local government.
Investigation activities come into play when patrol officers are unable to prevent a crime or to arrest
a suspect in the act of committing a crime. Investigative specialists, better known as detectives, help solve
crimes by skillfully questioning victims, witnesses, and suspects; by gathering evidence at crime sites;
and by tracing stolen property or vehicles connected with crime. Detectives investigate many types of
crimes including murder, manslaughter, robbery, rape, aggravated assault, burglary, auto theft, forgery,
embezzlement, and weapons violations. They spend considerable time reviewing physical evidence,
clues, interviews, and methods used by the criminal that may provide a break in solving a case. In addition,
investigations are coordinated using information provided by patrol officers, laboratory personnel,
records clerks, and concerned citizens. All of these may lead to the identification of the guilty individual.
Vice operations in the local police agency are aimed at illegal activities that corrupt and destroy the
physical, mental, and moral health of the public. Enforcement activities in vice operations are directed
principally at illegal gambling, narcotics violations, traffic in liquor, prostitution, pandering, pornogra-
phy, and obscene conduct. Organized crime is involved in many vice crimes, and vice crimes are directly
linked to other types of street crime. For example, gambling is associated with loansharking, and
prostitution and drug abuse are linked with robbery. Patrol units have the primary responsibility of
enforcing vice laws and can significantly prevent such illegal activities, particularly in high crime areas.
To be effective, however, there must be a continual exchange of information and a coordinated effort
between vice units and all other elements of the police department as well as cooperation with federal law
enforcement agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
and Firearms.
Traffic law enforcement seeks the voluntary compliance of citizens with traffic regulations to provide
maximum movement of traffic with minimum interruption. Because no shame is associated with most
traffic violations and the public often breaks traffic regulations without realizing it, breaking these laws
is made an unpleasant experience by enforcing penalties such as fines, loss of license, or imprisonment.
In addition to vehicular traffic enforcement, uniformed police officers also engage in pedestrian control,
traffic direction, investigation of accidents, and traffic education. There is an important relationship
between traffic law enforcement and other police services. Stopping a motorist for a routine vehicle check
