Law Enforcement - Significant Dates In Law Enforcement, Law Enforcement Personnel, The Few Who Serve Many, A Changing Police Force

Less than 1 million men and women are sworn law enforcement officers — carry a firearm and have the ability to make arrests. People depend on them to protect property, save lives, and to uphold the law. This chapter will examine law enforcement officers and the issues surrounding this profession.

As stated through this book, the crime rate fell dramatically over the last two decades. In earlier chapters we've seen the murder rate fall and areas enjoy lower incidents of property crime. There are complex reasons for these decreases, of course. But what role has the police played in this development?

Some agencies are now better equipped. Many now have computers and other forms of technology to help them do their work, something they did not have pre-1990. Many departments have boosted training and requirements of their new cadets. A smarter, more mature, better trained cadet has a better chance of being a more effective law enforcer.

In the 1990s, many departments adopted a policy of "zero tolerance" — most notably the New York Police Department (the nation's largest police force). Law enforcement would vigorously go after smaller crimes just like the big ones — the belief being that behavioral crimes like loitering and drunkenness may lead to more violent crimes. The police also refined crime prevention programs, or instituted new ones, aided by the 1994 Crime Act. Police could now really target the ills that plague the population: gangs, drugs, missing children, drunk driving, and bias-related assaults.

It's difficult to argue with such efforts. Cities saw their murder rate plunge and many areas in cities were suddenly deemed "safe" again. But some people, often from minority communities, have found law enforcement's efforts simply too aggressive. Many people of color have charged police with racism and brutality. Several panels in this chapter will examine these issues. What is "use of force"? How present is it in police departments? Racial profiling is another contentious issue making headlines. Does it exist? Is so, what are its origins?

The chapter's focus will shift slightly and examine federal law officers. How large are their law enforcement departments? We'll pay special attention to the rise of women and minorities in its ranks, and how the agencies have been shaped by the threat of terrorism. The chapter also examines how terrorism has shaped common law enforcement practices.

Indeed, 70 law enforcement officers were killed in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The police — and all who provide public service — found themselves receiving a new level of respect from the nation. One can only hope that such respect will endure.