Assignment 1: Foundations of the Development and Functions of Police, Draft
Due Week 4 and worth 200 points

To understand contemporary policing in America, it is essential to understand the history by looking at the past eras. The police have day-to-day practices influenced by deeply ingrained traditions.  It’s also necessary to comprehend how an officer’s career begins, from the academy to the street. The effective partnership between the police and the community must also be understood to better appreciate the development and functions of police. 

Write a five to seven (5-7) page paper in which you:

1. Compare and contrast the major characteristics of the political and reform eras of policing. 
2. Identify the skills and knowledge that are imparted to police trainees during their academy training and explain the importance of these skills in relation to real world applications.
3. Provide your own definition of community-policing and explain the difference between community policing and traditional policing.
4. Critically examine the important elements of implementation and evaluation phases of community policing and problem solving.
5. Determine the top five (5) qualities that detectives and undercover officers need to possess (one [1] being the most important). Provide a rationale for your response.
6. Use at least four (4) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources. Preferably criminal justice journals and book, can be more than 4.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Trace the development of law enforcement organizations and police operations in America.
• Illustrate the nature of police work and describe the training and management of police officers. 
• Analyze the development of community-oriented policing and describe its impact on communities today.
• Describe the nature and purpose of criminal investigation, including some investigative techniques.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in law enforcement operations and management.
• Write clearly and concisely about law enforcement operations and management using proper writing mechanics.

Click here to view the grading rubric for this assignment.