Police Officer

Police Officers, also known as policemen or police agents, are warranted law employees of a police force. They are generally charged with the apprehension of criminals and the prevention and detection of crime, protection and assistance to the general public and the maintenance of public order. Police officers may be sworn to an oath, and have the power to detain people and arrest them for a limited along along with other duties and powers.

Some police officers may also be trained in special duties such as counter-terrorism, surveillance, child protection, VIP protection, civil law enforcement and investigation techniques into major crime including fraud, rape, murder and drug trafficking. Although many police officers wear a corresponding uniform, some officers are plain-clothed in order to dissimulate as ordinary citizens.

Duties and Functions
Responsibilities of a police officer are varied and may differ greatly from one political context to another. Typical duties relate to keeping the peace, law enforcement, protection of people and property and investigation of crimes. Officers are expected to respond to a variety of situations that may arise while they are on duty. Rules and guidelines dictate how an officer should behave within the community and in many contexts, restrictions are placed on what the uniformed police officer wears. Police officers also retain their lawful powers while off duty in almost every country.

In the majority of Western legal systems, the major role of the police is to maintain order