In Canada, the police play a vital role in the Criminal Justice System. The police performs three main functions, preserves the peace, crime control, and social service type of work. The role of the police has change over the years and due the changes, many people regard the role of the police as being akin to the roles of others in society. However, there are some aspects in the role of police, which can be set apart from others in society. The role of police, due to the similarity of roles with others in society can lead to role conflict. However, the police have adopted certain mechanisms to help them cope with role conflict.
The role of the police to preserve peace is an important function for it maintains order in society. Preserving the peace and/or maintaining order involves the police calming disruptive behaviours that hold the potential for evolving into criminal offences.
English: mounted Tourist-Police officers in Petra,...
A senior police officer of the Hamburg police on a...
South Australian Police officers wearing duty belt...For example, the police would respond to domestic violence situations calls from the victims or members of the community. The police respond to these calls because the victim's life may be in serious danger. The police duty is to intervene, for the person doing the assaulting may go as far as seriously harming the victim, for example Murder. The police are to uphold the law, to enforce the criminal code and the provincial statues. Murder is a serious criminal offence, a violation of the criminal code. The police intervening in a domestic violence situation might have prevented the less serious case from becoming a more serious case such as Murder. The police answering and responding to calls from victims and community members about disruptive behaviours help preserves peace and/or maintain order for it stops the behaviours from evolving into criminal offences, which causes disorder.
The function of...