Roles and Functions of the Police DepartmentFunctionality in a police department is the bastion of its operations. All departments must work hand in hand to make the entire operation happen. Some departments may have the funds and staff to operate with multiple people tasked with specific tasks, as opposed to the smaller, less financially fortunate department. It all comes down to the ministry's role in society as it applies to their organization. Law enforcement agencies serve the community by enforcing laws written by the legislature. They protect the population, prevent crime and protect civil rights and liberties. The laws written by the legislature are constantly changing and adapting to the world in which we live. Law enforcement agencies enforce these laws strictly and the judicial side deals with people who have broken these laws. Law enforcement agencies have multiple functions and sizes depending on the geographic size and population of the city/county. Roles in a county agency may differ from those in a city or town agency. Counties must cover larger geographic areas than the city or town agency that is responsible only for incorporated areas. The agency most available for financial support is the one that has the means to build a team to focus on certain areas of crime. All departments, regardless of size, should have someone at the top of the reporting structure. A police department operates much like the military in which a structure and chain of command are implemented. Quasi-military is a term used to describe the hierarchical structure of today's police departments (Grant and Terry 2012). From the bottom to the top of the r...... the middle of the paper ...... is hidden. All roles within local, state and federal agencies provide what we have made of law enforcement today. Levels within the ministry are effective in supporting their own effective use of staff. Ministries are also finding ways to operate more efficiently and optimize their funding. The different roles and training of officers and the multiple forms of patrol are a centuries-old tradition that has adapted over time and provided a safer approach to apprehending today's criminals.ReferencesMetropolitan Police. ((2012)). Retrieved from http://www.met.police.uk/history/peel.htm Schmallager, F. (2009). Criminal Justice Today, (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Pearson/Prentice HalWalker, S. & Katz, CM 2011. Policing America: An Introduction, 7th ed. New York, New York. McGraw-Hill.