CRI210H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Police Misconduct, Ordnungspolizei, Public Safety Canada

• School: UTSG
• Department: Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies
• Course: CRI210H1
• Professor: Scot Wortley

Document Summary

The law as it exists provides a great deal of room for interpretation in all but most straightforward of situations police deal with. Bittner famously referred to the police of the people (cid:449)ho deal (cid:449)ith (cid:862) so(cid:373)ethi(cid:374)g that ought (cid:374)ot to (cid:271)e happe(cid:374)i(cid:374)g a(cid:374)d a(cid:271)out (cid:449)hi(cid:272)h so(cid:373)eo(cid:374)e had (cid:271)etter do so(cid:373)ethi(cid:374)g (cid:374)o(cid:449)(cid:863) there are many situations that fit this description. While both legislation and case law limit police activity in canada the remains a very wide and often unpredictable range of possible outcomes in any situation where police are called to act. The ability for police officers to make choices in the situation can be called constabulary independence or discretion. Discretion allo(cid:449)s poli(cid:272)e to (cid:449)ork (cid:271)et(cid:449)ee(cid:374) (cid:373)ultiple (cid:862) soft(cid:863) a(cid:374)d (cid:862) hard(cid:863) strategies ra(cid:374)gi(cid:374)g from community policing, partnerships with social services and liasions programs with at risk i(cid:374)di(cid:448)iduals to (cid:862)i(cid:374)tellige(cid:374)(cid:272)e- led(cid:863) targeted e(cid:374)for(cid:272)e(cid:373)e(cid:374)t, zero tolera(cid:374)(cid:272)e (cid:272)ra(cid:272)kdo(cid:449)(cid:374)s, Undercover work, deceit, wiretapping and disruption and harassment of suspect individuals and groups.