Essay Sample on Investigative Bureau: Keeping Escondido Safe From Criminal Activity

Introduction

The Investigative Bureau is mandated to offer initial and follow-up an inquiry on matters pertaining to criminal undertakings in Escondido. They are also responsible for managing and following up on the anonymous tip line. Furthermore, they cut down on future illegal activities from occurring. There are two lieutenants who are in charge of the bureau. One is in charge of the criminal investigation division while the other one is in charge of special investigation division. The criminal investigation division is further divided crimes of violence unit, crimes of property unit, family protection unit and forensic services unit. The crimes of violence deal with kidnapping and investigating homicides within its jurisdiction. Crimes of property unit deal with cybercrime and fraud. Family protection unit is concerned with crimes against children, domestic violence and child protection services.

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The forensic services unit is mandated with the gathering of evidence at crime scenes. The special investigation division is divided into the gang unit and a particular investigation unit. The gang unit deals with any crime related to gang activities in Escondido while the particular investigation unit gives out intelligence about any criminal activity to the various police units. Detectives do not put on uniforms like their counterparts. The primary reason is that their work requires the gathering of information from the public without intimidating them. As such, a detective can easily blend with the public and gather information about any criminal activity without tipping off the criminals.

Special Teams in the Police Department

Firstly, there is the unique weapon and tactics (SWAT) who are an elite squad of policemen who are sent to diffuse critical incidents that can harm the public, and the traditional law enforcement cannot handle. They receive specialized training and carry more sophisticated weapons compared to their compatriots the conventional policemen. Due to the infrequency of emergency situations, the SWAT team members are deployed to do other regular police work and are called up when an emergency happens. Secondly, there is the bomb squad who are in charge of investigating and stopping of bomb threats within the city. The officers are usually called upon when there is a possibility of a bomb in a case. The objective of the bomb squad is to secure the bomb so as not to cause harm to the public. If a bomb incident has occurred, they will be called to investigate so as to find the culprits.

Leadership Role of the Command and Staff Administration of the Police Department

The leaders of a police department are mandated to ensure the operations of a police department run smoothly. He controls the budget to ensure the force works within some stipulated parameters. The head of the police reports to the mayor. He is also tasked with giving out information to the public with regards to security or criminal activities. Just like any other organization, the police department has to have an administration department to ensure the daily operations run smoothly. There are secretaries, telephone operators, clerks, evidence technicians, and support staff who are usually civilians. Their work is pivotal in ensuring the wheels at a police department move forward.

Functions of the Training Division

The objective of the police training division is to ensure the law enforcement officers have the requisite knowledge that will enable them to carry out their duty to the public effectively and efficiently. The training unit provides the highest standards, both ethically and physically are maintained at all times for all the recruits before they are deployed to serve the community. The training program keeps changing to incorporate new concept and changing times.

Methods used by Training Division to keep Police Department Safe from Civil Action

One way the training division employs to keep the police department safe from civil action is by teaching them the importance of community policing. This module explains the police on what community policing entails, ways to initiate and also maintain it. When they grasp it, principals, there will be a better rapport between the police and the community it serves (Blumberg et al., 2019). Through community policing, members of the public will better understand the police and their work. When the public trust on the police is restored, civil cases towards them will also decline.

Another way the training division uses to help against civil action is the use of technology. The world is changing at a first pace, and new inventions are making police work even more useful. The training division ensures the police know how to operate all the gadgets used by the police. For instance, the body camera can be used in a court case. If a civilian sues for the use of excessive force and the body camera shows, the otherwise the police department will not be sued. Policemen who have the propensity to break the law will also be put on notice as they can be monitored in case they do not abide by the rule of law.

References

Andersen, J., & Gustafsberg, H. (2016). A Training Method to Improve Police Use of Force Decision Making. SAGE Open, 6(2), 215824401663870. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244016638708

Blumberg, D., Schlosser, M., Papazoglou, K., Creighton, S., & Kaye, C. (2019). New Directions in Police Academy Training: A Call to Action. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health, 16(24), 4941. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244941