Unit 8: Law, Courts, and Procedure

Goals of Police Departments in a Democracy

Goals are broad, general intentions. They are non-specific desired outcomes that are long­ range in nature. Goals generally focus on things such as preserving the peace, protecting civil rights and civil liberties, preventing crime, enforcing the law, providing services to citizens, and improving the quality of life in the community.

Objectives are a desired accomplishment which can be measured within a given time and under specifiable conditions. The attainment of an objective advances the system toward a corresponding goal. An example is: to reduce residential burglaries by 15% within the next 12 months. A task is a specific action taken to accomplish an objective, e.g., organize a stakeout squad and a truancy patrol.

A specific objective or an individual task may seem unimportant, but in combination they achieve the broad goals desired by the department. Objectives are usually accomplished by the department through established policies that cover specific tasks that must be undertaken. They then create procedures to accomplish those tasks.

A Policy consists of principles and values which guide the performance of a department’s activity. A Policy is not a statement of what must be done in a particular situation, rather, it is a statement of guiding principles which should. be followed in activities which are directed toward the attainment of departmental objectives. It is a statement of principles that guide decisions.

Steps in policy making include: First, the identification of the need for a policy, (which could occur by virtue of a court decision, legislation, citizen complaints, or analysis of crime, social problems, or current field practices). Second, a study with input from police department units and citizen groups. The third step is implementation, actually putting the policy into practice. The fourth step is evaluation, to see how well the policy works.