Outline of law enforcement

Overview of and topical guide to law enforcement

The following outline is provided as an overview of and introduction to law enforcement:

Law enforcement – subsystem of society that promotes adherence to the law by discovering and punishing persons who violate rules and norms governing that society. Although the term may encompass entities such as courts and prisons, it most frequently applies to those who directly engage in patrols or surveillance to dissuade and discover criminal activity, and those who investigate crimes and apprehend offenders.^[1]

Essence of law enforcement

The Thin Blue Line
Criminal law
- Coming into force
- Unenforced law
Law enforcement agency
Law enforcement officer

Disciplines

Criminology
- Forensic science
- Penology

Basis of law enforcement

The reasons law enforcement exists:

Crime – breaking the law. Without crime, there would be little need for law enforcement.
Law and order (politics)
- Criminal law
- Criminal justice

Law enforcement agencies

Law enforcement agency (list) – government agency responsible for enforcement of laws. Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while some have other names (e.g. sheriff's office/department; investigative police services in the United States are often called bureaus (e.g. FBI, USMS, ICE, CBP, ATF, DEA, USSS etc.).^[2]^[3]

Law enforcement agency powers
Types of law enforcement agencies
- Police
- Specialist law enforcement agency
  - Gendarmerie
  - Police tactical unit such as SWAT

Law enforcement officers

Law enforcement by region

History of law enforcement

Law enforcement equipment

Armor
- Ballistic vest
- Shield
  - Ballistic shield
  - Riot shield
Police dog
Police duty belt
Police radio
Police vehicle
Policeware
Police psychology
Weapons
- Club
- Taser
- Firearm
- Handgun
- Riot gun
Uniform
Uniforms and equipment of the British police

Law enforcement techniques and procedures

Criminal investigation

Criminal Investigation – applied science involving the study of facts, used to identify, locate and prove the guilt of a criminal.^[5] Modern-day criminal investigations commonly employ many scientific techniques known collectively as forensic science.

Components of a crime

Criminal – person who committed a crime
Evidence
- Forensic science
Suspect
Victim

Law enforcement training

Law enforcement issues

Law enforcement organizations

Law enforcement organization

Law enforcement leaders and scholars

References

^ Kären M. Hess, Christine Hess Orthmann, Introduction to Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (2008), p. 1.
^ "Types of police / law enforcement agencies - Discover Policing". discoverpolicing.org. Archived from the original on 2010-10-05.
^ "Law Enforcement and Corrections-Related Agencies | USA.gov". www.usa.gov. Archived from the original on 2012-01-28.
^ "The Early Days of American Law Enforcement". www.nleomf.org. Archived from the original on 2013-09-27.
^ Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation (Sixth Edition). Charles E. O'Hara and Gregory L. O'Hara; 1994; ISBN 0-398-05889-X