TITLE: The Police, Part I & II
AUTHORS: Cecelia Cameron and Ted Foster
Sequoyah High School; Claremore, OK
GRADE LEVEL: 6-12
OVERVIEW: The man or woman in uniform may not represent the
same thing to all students. Some may see the police as
something to fear while others may look to the police as an
authority figure to be helpful and to be respected.
OBJECTIVE(s): Students will be able to:
1. Understand the origins of the police.
2. Know the evolution of the police from the early
beginnings to the present.
3. Understand the complexities of being a policeman or
policewoman and the skills required.
4. Understand the demands made by society on our police
forces.
PURPOSE: To promote respect for the law and those who serve
and protect.
The Police -- Part I
ACTIVITIES:
1. Discuss with students how they feel about the
police. An attitude survey such as the following may
be handed out:
AN ATTITUDE SURVEY--THE POLICE
Read the statements below. Place a star next to the one
which most closely resembles your feelings. Next consider
the statements above and below your mark. Even though they
do not represent your feelings as accurately as the starred
statement, are there any of them that you could accept? If
so, mark the other acceptable statements with a check.
1. All police officers are always stupid, brutal
and corrupt.
2. Most police officers are usually stupid, brutal
and corrupt.
3. Some police officers are usually stupid, brutal
and corrupt.
4. A few police officers are usually stupid, brutal
and corrupt.
5. Police officers are no better or worse than most
people.
6. A few police officers sometimes have better
judgement, more compassion, and integrity than
is average.
7. Some police officers usually have better
judgement, more compassion, and integrity than
is average.
8. Most police officers have better judgement, more
compassion, and integrity than is average.
9. All police officers always have better
judgement, more compassion, and integrity than
is average.
2. Discuss with students the early origins of the
police.
A. As watchmen in colonial times to listen, to cry
out conditions, and to light the lamps.
B. Early colonists were opposed to a formal police
force because of their early experiences in
England.
C. First police force established by New York
legislature. (They were appointed by the mayor.)
D. Early duties of police:
1. night watchmen
2. protecting the polls.
3. lighting lamps
4. sounding alarm bells
5. suppressing riots
6. preserving order at fires
3. Early qualifications:
1. Size
2. Ability to prevail in a bar room brawl or in
a gunfight in the early West.
4. Ask a member of your local police department to
visit your class.
5. Plan a field trip to the county jail.
6. Let the students inspect a police patrol car.
7. See Police Part 2 for the role of police today,
police recruitment and training, the power base of
the police and discretionary powers of the police.
The Police -- Part II
ACTIVITIES:
1. Have students write a description of a policeman or
policewoman.
2. Discuss the powerbase of the police.
A. Society asks the police to enforce more and more
laws, while at the same time placing greater
constraints on police behavior.
B. Police authority is based primarily upon
statutory law that gives the police the power to
arrest.
3. Ask the students when they think a policeman or
policewoman has the right to use force.
A. Force is most often used when making arrests.
B. Force may be necessary to suppress civil
disorders or subduing mentally ill persons.
4. Assign students to look up the Miranda Law.
5. Discuss Probable Cause with the students.
6. The discretion of the police. (very important)
Police do not arrest all the offenders they
encounter.
A. warnings to speeders
B. curfew laws
C. deals between police and informers
7. Conclusions: Drive home the point that the police
is not the worst institution in society.
A. Minorities may get more fair treatment from
police than from realtors.
B. Police assign their best to the ghetto while
schools assign their worst.
C. A young intelligent black may enter the police
force but yet have no chance to become a union
carpenter.
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy Curricular Exchange
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Menu
John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org