CRIM 131 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Public Safety Canada, Treasury Board, Agent Provocateur

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM 131
• Professor: Sheri Fabian

Document Summary

Public police are a unique organization as they are licensed to break a great number of criminal and civil laws. They can use means that are prohibited to the public to promote a defined order in society. Police can drive high speeds, breach privacy, engage in deceit, ingest illegal drugs and use force in execution of their duties: they do this to limit other"s transgressions against law and order. Body of law of what the police should do does not exist. Canadian law regarding police activity include the federal rcmp act alongside separate provincial police acts for each province. No coherent set of rules that police must observe. Ability for police to make choices in situations is constabulary independence or discretion. Discretion allows police to work between multiple soft and hard strategies ranging from community policing, partnerships with social services and diversion and liaison programs with at risk individuals.