LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

MODULE 1
I. INTRODUCTION
Law enforcement is an activity of government agencies that act in an organized manner to
enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing persons who violate the rules
and norms governing that society.
However, as society evolves, it is most frequently applied to those who directly engage in crime
prevention, crime control, and maintenance of peace and order, typically carried out by the police or
another law enforcement organization with particular or specific legal mandates to enforce the law.
Hence, law enforcement is usually called the police.

ORIGIN AND DEFINITION OF THE WORD “POLICE”

The word “POLICE” has originated from the Greek word POLITEIA, which means “a
government of a city,” the Romans borrowed the word modifying it to POLITIA, adopting its meaning.
It was used by the Middle-French word PORICE, which means “public order assured by the State.”
Modern usage of “police” as the “civil force responsible for maintaining public order and
enforcing the law” came only into recorded use in the English language in 1798 when the Marine Police
was established to protect merchant shipping on the River Thames in London.

POLICE – a body of armed men, which as an institution, can exercise its duties by armed physical
forces to preserve peace and order, detection of crime, and the execution of laws.

FUNDAMENTAL THEORIES OF POLICE SERVICE

1. The Continental Theory. In this theory, police officers are considered servants of the higher
authorities, and the people have little or no share at all in their duties, nor any direct connection
with them. This theory prevails among continental countries like France, Italy, and Spain, where
governmental structure follows the centralized pattern.

2. The Home Rule Theory. Policemen are considered servants of the Community, who depend on
the effectiveness of their functions upon the expressed wishes of the people. In this theory,
policemen are civil employees whose primary duty is to preserve public peace and security. This
is practiced in England and in the United States of America, where the governmental structure is
a decentralized pattern.

CONCEPTS OF POLICE SERVICE

1. Old Concept. In this concept, the police are looked upon as merely repressive machinery. This
means that placing more people in jail rather than keeping them out of jail. Punishment is the only
instrument of crime control, and the yardstick of police efficiency is more on the arrest.

2. Modern Concept. This concept considers the police service as an organ of crime prevention. Its
activities include certain aspects of social services and have for its objectives the welfare of the
individual and society. The yardstick of police efficiency is the absence of crime.

POLICE OBJECTIVES
1. To make sure there is an order in the community;
2. To protect the lives and limbs of every member of the community;
3. To protect the properties of the citizenry; and
4. To render appropriate assistance to other government offices concerned.

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BASIC POLICE FUNCTIONS

1. Crime Prevention. It is directed at the elimination or reduction of the desire to commit a crime.
Crime prevention must be coordinated very closely with other agencies such as the criminal justice
system or other sectors of society.

2. Crime Control. Refers to the control or neutralization of criminal activity. The key to crime control
is proper enforcement of the Revised Penal Code and Special Penal Laws governing criminal acts.

3. Regulations or Control of Non-Criminal Conduct. Done by enforcing rules and regulations and
ordinances all aimed at achieving a desired uniform standard of activity among members of
society.

THREE (3) GENERAL CATEGORIES OF POLICE ACTIVITIES

1. Primary, Line, or Operation Police Functions. These refer to activities such as patrol work,
traffic control/management, criminal investigation, and juvenile and vice control. Sometimes,
intelligence is classified as a line function. The accomplishment of these primary tasks should
achieve the police objectives.

2. Secondary, Auxiliary, or Service Functions. These take charge of transportation,

communication, property supply, records, laboratory, jail or custody maintenance, and
identification. These tasks shall assist and effectively support the primary tasks in the
accomplishment of the police objectives.

3. Administrative or Managerial Functions. These include personnel, intelligence, inspection,

planning activities, budgeting, training, and public relations. These tasks should assist and
effectively support the primary and secondary police tasks in attaining police objectives.

II. PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATION, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

ORGANIZATION defined
It is a form of human association for the attainment of a goal or objective. It is the process of
identifying and grouping the work to be performed, defining and delegating responsibility and authority
establishing relationships for the purpose of enabling people work effectively.

POLICE ORGANIZATION defined

Police organization is a group of trained personnel in the field of public safety administration
engaged in the achievement of goals and objectives that promotes the maintenance of peace and
order, protection of life and property, enforcement of the laws and the prevention of crimes.
The organization of the police force commonly requires the following organizational units:

Functional Units

1. Bureau – the largest organic functional unit within a large department. It comprises of
numbers of divisions.

2. Division – a primary subdivision of a bureau.

3. Section – functional unit within a division that is necessary for specialization.

4. Unit – functional group within a section; or the smallest functional group within an
organization.

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Territorial Units

1. Post – a fixed point or location to which an officer is assigned for duty, such as a designated
desk or office or an intersection or cross walk from traffic duty. It is a spot location for general
guard duty.

2. Route – a length of streets designated for patrol purposes. It is also called LINE BEAT.

3. Beat – An area assigned for patrol purposes, whether foot or motorized.

4. Sector – An area containing two or more beats, routes, or posts.

5. District – a geographical subdivision of a city for patrol purposes, usually with its own station.

6. Area – a section or territorial division of a large city each comprised of designated districts.

Types of Police Organizational Structures

Line Organization

The straight-line organization, often called the individual, military or departmental type of
organization, is the simplest and perhaps the oldest type; but it is seldom encountered in its channels
of authority and responsibility extends in a direct line from top to bottom within the structures, authority
is definite and absolute.

Functional Organization

The functional organization in its pure form is rarely found in present day organizations, except
at or near the top of the very large organizations. Unlike the line type of structure, those establishments
organized on a functional basis violate the prime rule that men perform best when they have but one
superior. The functional responsibility of each “functional manager” is limited to the particular activity
over which he has control, regardless of who performs the function.

Line and Staff Organization

The Line and Staff organization is a combination of the line and functional types. It combines
staff specialist such as the criminalists, the training officers, the research and development specialists,
etc. Channels of responsibility is to “think and provide expertise” for the line units. The line supervisor
must remember that he obtains advice from the staff specialists.

ELEMENTS OF ORGANIZATON

Specialization: Specialization is the assignment of particular workers to particular tasks.

Thus, it can be thought of in terms of either jobs or people.

Hierarchy: A hierarchy represents the formal relationship among superiors and subordinates
in any given organization. It can be visualized as a ladder, with each rung (or rank) representing a
higher or lower level of authority.
Each rank or position on a hierarchical ladder has specific rights, while at the same time owing
specific duties to the positions above and below it. Any particular position of the ladder is expected to
direct and control the activities of the ranks, while obeying the directions and instructions received
from higher ranks.

Authority: Authority is the right to command and control the behavior of employees in lower

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positions within an organizational hierarchy. A hierarchy thus serves as the framework for the flow of
authority downward (and obedience upward) through the department.

Authority Roles: Authority within an organization must be viewed in terms of prescribed

roles rather than of individuals. A particular position within an organization carries the same authority
regardless of who occupies that position. While the personality of the occupant may change the style
or manner in which authority is exercise, it should increase or decrease the basic obligations of the
occupant toward those in subordinate positions.

Span of Control
A span of control is the maximum number of subordinates at a given position that superior
can supervise effectively.

Delegation of Authority
Delegation is the conferring of an amount of authority by a superior position onto a lower-
level position. The person to whom authority is delegated becomes responsible to the superior for
doing the assigned job. However, the delegators remain accountable for accomplishment of the job
within the guidelines and quality standards of the agency.

Unity of Command
Traditional theories of organization insisted that each employee should have only one
supervisor of “boss”, and considered this principle of “unity of command” the backbone of any
organizational structure. Thus, a patrol officer, for example, would always receive orders from one
sergeant and would always report to that same sergeant. If the officer was instructed or advised by a
detective, garage sergeant, or any other administrator (with the possible exception of the chief), the
officer is expected to check with his or her sergeant before taking any action.

Formal Communication
Basically, communication is the process of sharing understanding and information on
common subjects. More precisely, it is an intercourse between, through or more people by means of
words, letters symbols, or gestures for the purpose of exchanging information. Procedures, channels,
and standardized languages are essential to effective communication within such large organization.

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