THEORIES,

PHILOSOPHIES
AND CONCEPTS
OF POLICE
SERVICE
THEORIES OF POLICE SERVICE
HOME RULE THEORY CONTINENTAL THEORY
• policemen are regarded • policemen are regarded
as servants of the as state or servants of
community the higher authorities
• policemen are civil • the people have no share
servants whose key duty or have little participation
is the preservation of with the duties nor
public peace and security connection with the police
organization.
CONCEPTS OF POLICE SERVICE
. Old Concept Modern Concept
• Police is looked upon • Police is an
as a repressive instrument for crime
machinery of the prevention.
government. • The yardstick of
• The yardstick of police efficiency is the
police efficiency is absence of crime.
more arrest.
ORGANIZATIONAL UNITS IN
THE POLICE ORGANIZATION
FUNCTIONAL UNITS
1. Bureau - the largest organic unit within a large
department, each bureau is composed of a number of
divisions
2. Division - the primary subdivision of a bureau
3. Section - a smaller functional unit within a division
that is necessary for specialization purposes.
4. Unit - the smallest group within a section when
further specialization is needed.

POLICE ORGANIZATION UNITS

TERRITORIAL/ GEOGRAPHICAL UNITS

1. Post- A fixed point or location where a police

officer is assigned for duty. A permanent spot for
general guard duty.
2. Route/Line Beat- A length of street/s designated
for patrol purposes.
3. Beat- An area assigned for patrol purposes,
whether by foot or motorized.

POLICE ORGANIZATION UNITS

TERRITORIAL/ GEOGRAPHICAL UNITS

4. Sector- An area containing two or more beats,

routes or posts.
5. District- A geographical subdivision of a city for
patrol purposes, usually with its own station.
6. Area- A section or territorial division of a large city
or metropolis, each composed of designated
districts.

POLICE ORGANIZATION UNITS

BEATS

SECTOR

DISTRICT
FUNCTIONS IN A POLICE
ORGANIZATION
Duties and responsibilities
explicitly carried out by police
agencies to meet the
demands concerning public
order and public safety.
1. PRIMARY OR LINE
FUNCTIONS
- Functions that carry out the
major purposes of the
organization, delivering the
services and dealing directly
with the public
- The backbone of the police
department
2. STAFF/ ADMIN
FUNCTIONS
- functions that are designed to
support the line functions and
assist in the performance of
the line functions
3. AUXILLIARY
FUNCTIONS
- functions involving the
logistical operations of the
organization
 FUNCTIONS OF THE POLICE
1. Maintain peace and order
2. Enforce the laws in their respective assigned
jurisdictions.
3. Prevent crimes.
4. Make arrests, searches, and seizure in accordance
with law.
5. Investigate crimes.
6. Prosecute offenders.
7. Ensure public safety
8. Protect life and property.
 BASIC POLICE MISSION
The basic police mission is preserving
order by enforcing rules of conduct or
laws. This was the same in ancient
societies as it is today in sophisticated
urban communities.
ORGANIC UNITS IN A POLICE ORGANIZATION
1. OPERATIONAL UNITS- those that perform primary
or line functions.
examples are patrol, traffic, investigation and vice control
2. ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS- those that perform the
administrative functions
examples are personnel, finance, planning and training
3. SERVICE UNITS- those that perform auxiliary
functions
examples are communication, records management, supplies
PRINCIPLE OF EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT
Division of work - work specialization can increase
efficiency with the same amount of effort.
Authority and Responsibility- authority includes the
right to command and the power to require obedience.
One cannot have authority without responsibility.
Discipline - necessary for an organization to function
effectively, however, the state of the disciplinary
process depends upon the quality of its leaders.
PRINCIPLE OF EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT
Unity of Command - subordinate should receive
orders from one superior only.
Scalar Chain - the hierarchy of authority is the
order of ranks from the highest to the lowest levels
of the organization. Shows the vertical hierarchy of
the organization which defines an unbroken chain
of units from top to bottom describing explicitly the
flow of authority.
 ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
❑ the systematic arrangement of
the relationship of the members,
positions, departments and
❑ functions or work of the
organization
❑ it is comprised of functions,
relationships, responsibilities
and authorities of individuals
within the organization
❑ the oldest and simplest kind LINE
❑ The straight-line organization, often
called the individual, military, or
departmental type of organization
❑ it is seldom encountered in its true
form in any but the smallest
organization.
❑ The channels of authority and
responsibility extend in a direct line
from top to bottom within the
structure.
❑ Authority is definite and absolute.

KINDS OF ORGANIZATION
❑ structure according to
FUNCTIONAL
functions and specialized
units
❑ depicts staff functions of the
organization
❑ responsibilities are divided
among authorities who are
all accountable to the
authority above
KINDS OF ORGANIZATION
❑ a combination of the line and LINE AND STAFF
functional kind
❑ combines the flow of
information from the line
structure with the staff
departments that service,
advise, and support them
❑ generally more formal in
nature and has many
departments

KINDS OF ORGANIZATION
ORGANIZATIONAL PRINCIPLES
• the right to exercise, to decide and
AUTHORITY to command by virtue of rank and
position
MUTUAL • an organization exists because it
COOPERATION serves a purpose
• provides for the organization’s
DOCTRINE objectives
• provides the various actions

DISCIPLINE • comprising behavioral regulations

FOUR (4) PRIMAL CONDITIONS OF AN ORGANIZATION

ELEMENTS OF A POLICE
ORGANIZATION
1. UNITY OF COMMAND- dictates that
there should only be ONE MAN
commanding the unit to ensure uniformity
in the execution of orders
ELEMENTS OF A POLICE
ORGANIZATION
2. SPAN OF CONTROL- the maximum
number of subordinates that a superior
can effectively supervise
ELEMENTS OF A POLICE
ORGANIZATION
3. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
- conferring of an amount of authority by
a superior position to a lower-level
position
ELEMENTS OF A POLICE
ORGANIZATION
4. HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY
- the relationship between superiors and
subordinates
- serves as the framework for the flow of
authority downward and obedience upward
through the department
ELEMENTS OF A POLICE
ORGANIZATION
5. SPECIALIZATION
- the assignment of particular personnel to
particular tasks
 ELEMENTS OF A POLICE
ORGANIZATION
6. CHAIN OF COMMAND
- the arrangement of officers from top to
bottom on the basis of rank or position
and authority
ELEMENTS OF A POLICE
ORGANIZATION
7. COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY
- dictates that immediate commanders
shall be responsible for the effective
supervision and control of their
personnel and unit
Misfeasance- improper performance
Malfeasance- misconduct, performance of an act
oath not to be done
Nonfeasance- omission of some act neglect of duty