All Saints' Security Role

The main duties of the police in our legal system is that of: (a) preserving the peace; (b) preventing robberies as well as other crimes and offenses; (c) apprehending offenders; (d) laying information before proper tribunals; and (e) prosecuting and aiding the prosecution of offenders.

After one examines these five duties (as written into the Police Act of Ontario) and after one looks at the "police shows" on television, you can get a very inaccurate picture of the real role of police. Sensationalist television programs and print media articles tend to portray the police as hard-nosed crime fighters out "busting heads" and "throwing the guilty into jail, tossing away the key for life." Nothing can be further from the truth. In real life, the police may handle several "glamorous" cases such as murder, kidnapping, assassination, etc. in their career but in actual fact some police officers will spend twenty or thirty years in their enforcement role without ever having the opportunity to get involved in a major crime. The police programs and articles do not show the police officer involved in administration (controlling and monitoring crisis situations, preventing outbursts of criminal activity, predicting criminal outbursts, as well as the tremendous amount of paperwork and case preparation), traffic control, countless court appearances, etc. In actual fact, it should be noted, that on average less than 20% of a police officer's time is actually spent in dealing with crime.

One of the most common mottoes of police departments is "Serve and Protect". It appears on the badges of the Toronto and Chicago Police Departments. These are two very important words. To serve means to serve the public and to look after their needs. The first and most important role of the police is to preserve order. The notion of order means that every person in the community should feel free from violence and any form of threats to their safety and security. The law provides us with this basic security. The police are granted power to make sure that security is not violated by others. But, the law also exists to protect the innocent from being harassed by police and arrested for a crime they did not commit. The law makes sure that the politically powerful do not abuse their power. The law guarantees that every one has the right to a fair and impartial judicial hearing.

Taking into consideration the first list of tasks assigned to the police in Canada, one should now look at what they really are expected to do. Legal Scholar Herman Goldstein in conjunction with the American Bar Association set out eight things he saw that the police actually do. He gathered these from working in the legal community, interviewing and noting the public response to police and actually watching the police perform their daily tasks. If one takes the Goldstein approach, one gets an actual image of the police role. In this program we, too, shall take the Goldstein approach. In other words, your role as a police officer is that of a "peace" officer in the fullest extent.
Goldstein's eight duties of a policeman are:

(1) To prevent and control conduct widely recognized as threatening to life and property (serious crime).
(2) To aid individuals who are in serious danger of physical harm, such as the victim of a criminal attack, or an accident.
(3) To protect constitutional guarantees, such as the right of free speech and assembly.
(4) To facilitate the movement of people and vehicles.
(5) To assist those who cannot care for themselves; the intoxicated, the addicted, the mentally ill, the physically disabled, the old and the young.
(6) To resolve conflict, whether it be between individuals, groups of individuals and their government.
(7) To identify problems that have the potential of becoming more serious problems for the individual citizen, for the police, or for the government.
(8) To create and maintain a feeling of security in the community.

You are expected to uphold the law and thus while you are on duty you shall uphold the laws of Yarmouth and Canada. While you uphold these laws remember that you are symbols of the law and that you are upholding the law. Therefore, please remember...:

(a) Use common sense: You are expected to be calm and sensible throughout. Always evaluate your situation, then respond. Please do not rush into something without thinking. If you are dealing with the large number of people, ask for backup. Before venturing into an unsure situation, call in your location. Remember the police act as a team. Do not try to take on the world by yourself as the world is by far larger and stronger than you will ever hope to be.
(b) No physical force. In this program, as in real life, there is very rarely any physical confrontation between the police and the perpetrator. Sure, in major and often violent crimes we hear of "shoot-outs at the O.K. Corral" but in minor offenses this is a rarity. The police rarely have to do it in real life and thus you will NOT do it here. This rule shall be strictly enforces to protect everyone involved. Likewise, it need not be said that any form of restraint other than that authorized by the teacher / advisor will NOT be permitted. Likewise ANY weapon of any description will not be used. This entire activity is designed to be "non-confrontational". By this, you are NOT to use any force. We believe that your mere presence is sufficient to deter any perpetrators.
(c) Support each other: On this evening you must work together as a team. There is no room for old rivalries or disagreements. We must support and work with each other. Always stay with your partners. Look after them, just as they are expected to look after and support you.
(d) Use your advisors: Talk out any situations with your colleagues. If a real police officer is on the scene with you or is in the Detachment, seek their advice. Likewise, talk to a teacher or supervisor and they will be more than pleased to assist.

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