The United States police system

In the United States each political unit may have its own police. Therefore, police agencies of various types, and having general or specialised functions, exist at all levels of govern­ment. Mention will be made here of some of the most important agencies at the various levels.

At the federal level, several departments have their own investigative units, each of which is charged with the enforce­ment of the particular laws over which its department has jurisdiction.

The state police forces of America vary considerably in functions and origin. The majority of state police forces have full law enforcement powers. Other states have state-wide organisations that are charged with the patrol of the highways. They are restricted to the enforcement of traffic laws and may only deal with crimes committed on the state highways.

Some states have established state bureaus of identification which operate at the state level as clearing houses for crimi­nal identification and investigation. In all states various departments have minor investigative units, each of which is charged with the enforcement of the particular laws with which its department deals.

In some states detective forces operate separately from the state police and, in other cases, special investigating police are attached directly to the office of the governor.

At the local level almost every particular unit has some kind of police. The county has a sheriff with as many deputies as he may appoint. Some counties have their own police forces, which either duplicate the sheriff’s jurisdiction or actually displace it. The township has a constable; the village or town, a marshal or a very small police force; and the city a munici­pal police department.

A recruit, when accepted, undergoes rigorous and intensive training before he is permitted to appear on duty before the public. Many state police academies are considered to be among the best of their kind, offering not only recruit training but specialist training and promotion courses.

 

Vocabulary

 

unit	-	единица, целое, единица измерения
administrative unit	-	административная единица, под-разделение
political unit	-	политическая единица
agency	-	агентство, орган, учреждение, представительство
police agency	-	полицейский орган
Central Intelligence Agency	-	Центральное разведывательное управление
level	-	уровень
to investigate	-	исследовать, изучать, расследо-вать; разузнавать
investigator	-	исследователь, испытатель, сле-дователь
investigation	-	исследование, расследование, след-ствие
investigative (unit)	-	следственный (орган)
to charge	-	обвинять; заряжать (оружие); поручать, вверять
to charge with murder	-	обвинять в убийстве
to be charged with	-	быть ответственным (за)
to be responsible for	-	быть ответственным (за)
particular	-	1) детальный, подробный; 2) осо-бенный; 3) отдельный
jurisdiction	-	1) отправление правосудия; юрис-дикция; 2) подсудность, подве-домственность; подследственность; 3) судебная практика
law enforcement powers	-	полномочия в сфере правопри-менения
patrol	-	l) патруль, дозор; 2) патрули-рование; 3) патрулировать; ох-ранять, стоять на страже
traffic	-	1) движение, транспорт; 2) отно-сящийся к транспорту (прил.)
traffic officer (cop)	-	полицейский, регулирующий улич-ное движение
traffic laws	-	правила дорожного движения
traffic light	-	светофор
to identify	-	1) отождествлять; опознавать; 2) устанавливать личность
identification	-	1) опознание; 2) установление личности
to detect	-	раскрыть (преступление); разыс-кать, обнаружить, найти
detection	-	раскрытие (преступления); розыск, обнаружение (преступника)
detective	-	детектив, сыщик; сотрудник сыск-ной (уголовной) полиции adj. сыск-ной; детективный
detective force	-	сыскное подразделение
governor	-	1) правитель; 2) губернатор; 3) начальник (тюрьмы)
marshal	-	1) маршал; 2) судебный испол-нитель; 3) начальник полицей-ского участка
township	-	1) местечко, район; 2) поселок, городок (амер.)
recruit	-	1) призывник, новобранец; 2) но-вичок
promotion courses	-	курсы повышения квалификации