A state’s police force is usually divided into several levels. State police, county police, and town police are among them. A county police officer’s authority is typically limited to the boundaries of the county in which he is employed.
An oath is taken a county police officer to serve and protect. This means he is responsible for acting as a law enforcement officer, protecting citizens from harm, and acting as a public servant in times of need. When he is not working for the county that employs him, he is not held to these standards.
The county lines demarcate the limits of a county police officer’s authority. When someone commits a crime in his territory and then flees outside of the county, he is usually unable to track them down. Instead, he must report the criminal to officials in the jurisdiction where he has fled.
A county police officer is in charge of enforcing a variety of laws. Although his authority is limited, the types of laws he is required to enforce are not. If someone commits a federal or state crime, he or she has the authority and responsibility to arrest them. He also follows the same procedure when local laws are broken.
A county police officer’s responsibilities are diverse. Officers in small counties may be assigned a variety of tasks, ranging from conducting sobriety checks to investigating violent crimes. Duties may be delegated to different people in large counties.
Some officers, for example, may be traffic cops. Controlling traffic violations such as speeding and illegal parking is a common part of their job. They may also be summoned to the scene of a car accident.
A detective is another type of county police officer. These people are usually called in when the perpetrator of a crime is unknown. They are frequently specially trained to collect evidence and question witnesses or potential suspects.
The ethical standard that a county police officer must uphold may not be limited to the boundaries of the county in which he works. A police officer is generally expected to set exemplary standards as a result of his position. Ethical issues and poor behavior may result in him being suspended from his duties or losing his job. Even if a law is not broken, this is true. If an officer is a compulsive gambler or alcoholic, for example, the police department where he works may find it necessary to take disciplinary action against him.