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Police Officer Facts & Worksheets

Police Officers are duly constituted persons of authority empowered by a state to enforce the law

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The police are duly constituted persons of authority empowered by a state to enforce the law, ensure citizens’ health, safety, security, and possessions, and prevent crime and civil disorder.

See the fact file below for more information on Police Officer or alternatively, you can download our 27-page Police Officer worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BRIEF HISTORY OF LAW ENFORCERS

  • In the early days, there were various ways that law enforcers exercised and established their authority:
  • In  the Chu and Jin kingdoms of Ancient China, law enforcers were referred to as prefects.
  • In Jin Kingdom, the prefects were in charge of civil administration and investigation. Local magistrates appointed these prefects who were usually assisted by subprefects.
  • Later, Korea and Japan adopted a law enforcement system.
  • Ancient Babylonian law enforcement was initially entrusted to individuals with military backgrounds or imperial magnates.
  • Eventually, it was delegated to paqdus or paqudus, who were stationed in cities and rural settlements. They were authorized to conduct minor crime investigations and make arrests.
  • Ancient Egyptians initially employed law enforcers as personal bodyguards.
  • However, understanding the need to maintain peace and security within their constituents, they eventually hired the military and ex-military as well as those from foreign nations.
  • Law enforcers in Ancient Greece employed foreign slaves as Greeks found it unsettling for citizens to police their own fellow citizens.
  • The Romans utilized a police force called the vigiles who dealt with minor infractions such as thievery and escaping slaves. Riots or other more violent acts required more military groups, such as the Praetorian Guard and urban cohorts.
  • The most notable and organized law enforcers were established by the ancient Mauryan Empire (in India) and the Persian Empire (now Iran).
  • The former employed a nagarik, a police chief, who was assisted by gops or officers, while the latter was led by a Kuipan or a Superintendent of Police, who was expected to command implicit obedience from his subordinates.
  • Mauryan police stations also functioned as a local jail, a lost and found, and a census bureau.
  • Persian police officers also served as prosecutors and carried out lawful punishments after proper judicial proceedings.
  • Law enforcement eventually gained proper acknowledgment as policemen were organized to perform specific tasks to protect citizens and enforce laws. Further, they were recognized thanks to Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie, founder of the first uniformed police force in the world.
  • As early as 1700, organized law enforcement was established, requiring aspirant police officers to undergo training and education to properly administer justice and avoid abuse of authority.
  • The concept of preventive policing, or policing to deter crime from taking place was widely accepted as was apprehension after a crime was committed.
  • Soon, police work extended to criminal investigations, traffic regulation, crowd control, public safety duties, civil defense, emergency management, etc.

MODERN REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

  • The most common requirement for a police aspirant is his/her legal age. In most countries, 18 years qualifies someone to apply to a police academy.
  • In the US, police career education programs are open to aspirants aged between 14 (completed 8th grade) and 20 years old to get the chance to learn policing.
  • In other countries, criminal education degrees are required to enter the police force. 
  • But all police trainees undergo intensive training, background checking, and extensive assessments. Residency and citizenship, physical deformities, mental problems, criminal records, language proficiency, and behavior significantly affect the merits of each police applicant. 
  • Some of the most important characteristics of a police officer are: physical and mental fitness, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, communication skills, strong moral principles, and devotion to community service.
  • In order to serve the public, police officers should have compassion and empathy. Integrity should also be taught and practiced as future police officers may face all kinds of temptations that could tarnish their reputation.
  • Police officers should always be eager to learn because daily tasks will require them to become familiar with laws.

KINDS OF POLICE OFFICERS

  • Modern police officers have different roles, some are:
  • Uniformed Officers – They are in charge of home or neighborhood patrols, they also respond to distress calls and patrol the traffic. Most of the time, they offer security for large events and investigate criminal activity.
  • Police Detectives – They investigate crime scenes within their jurisdiction and piece together evidence to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and suspects.
  • State Troopers – Their major role is to highway safety.
  • Prison Officers – They keep inmates safe and maintain order to execute successful rehabilitation in prison facilities.
  • Environmental Police (Game Wardens) – They are primarily concerned with protecting the environment and enforcing laws pertaining to fishing, hunting, and other activities.
  • Fire Marshals – They investigate arson-related criminal activities and may work for a local fire department or the state.
  • Air Marshal – They are tasked with defending the public and crew members against harm during flights.
  • Military Police – They are employed by the military department that engages in crime investigation, law enforcement, and safety and security.

Police Officer Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Police Officer across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Police Officers who are duly constituted persons of authority empowered by a state to enforce the law, ensure citizens’ health, safety, security, and possessions, and prevent crime and civil disorder.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Police Officer Facts
  • Police Officers
  • Police Ranks
  • Police Insignia
  • Police Units
  • Call the Police
  • Police Response
  • Situational Analysis
  • The K-9
  • Police Issues
  • Know Your Rights
  • A Tribute

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Link will appear as Police Officer Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 1, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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