LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION
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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.
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.
LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION
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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.
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.
Order - an instruction given by a ranking officer
to a subordinate, either a. General Order, b.
Special, or c. Personal.
Report - usually a written communication.
Unless otherwise specifies to be verbal reports;
verbal reports should be confirmed by written
communication.
Sworn Officers - all personnel of the police
department who have oath and who possess the
power to arrest.
Superior Officer. - one having supervisory
responsibilities, either temporarily or
permanently, over officers of lower rank,
Commanding Officer - an officer who is in
command of the department, a bureau, a
division, an area, or a district
Ranking Officer - the officer who has the more
senior rank/higher rank in a team or group.
Length of Service - the period of time that has
elapsed since the oath- of office was
administered. Previous active services may be
included or added.

KEY TERMINOLOGIES

On Duty- the period when an officer is actively

engaged in the performance of his duty.

Off Duty - the nature of which the police officer

is free from specific routine duty.

Special Duty - the police service, its nature, which

requires that the officer be excused from the
performance of his active regular duty.

Leave of Absence - period, which an officer is

excused from active duty by any
valid/acceptable reason, approved by higher
authority.

Sick Leave - period which an officer is excused.

from active duty by reason of illness or injury.

Suspension - a consequence of an act which

temporarily deprives an officer from the
privilege of performing his duties as result of
violating directives or other department
regulations.

Department Rules - rules established by

department directors/supervisors to control the
conduct of the members of the police force.

Duty Manual - describes the procedures and

defines the duties of officers assigned to
specified post or position.