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FBI

FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal police force and intelligence agency which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Title 28, United States Code (U.S. Code), Section 533, which authorizes the Attorney General to "appoint officials to detect... crimes against the United States", and other federal statutes give the FBI the authority and responsibility to investigate specific crimes. At present, the FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes and thus has the broadest investigative authority of any federal law enforcement agency. The FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list has been used since 1949 to notify the public of wanted fugitives.

Mission

The mission of the FBI is to uphold the law through the investigation of violations of federal criminal law; to protect the United States from foreign intelligence and terrorist activities; to provide leadership and law enforcement assistance to federal, state, local, and international agencies; and to perform these responsibilities in a manner that is responsive to the needs of the public and is faithful to the United States Constitution. Information obtained through an FBI investigation is presented to the appropriate U.S. Attorney or DOJ official, who decides if prosecution or other action is warranted. Top priority has been assigned to five areas: counterterrorism, foreign counterintelligence, combating drugs/organized crime and investigating violent crimes and white-collar crimes. The FBI has had a mixed history, both in upholding the law and sometimes in breaking it.

Personnel

- Special Agents - The force of Special Agents has grown over the years, and now exceeds 11,000 out of a total workforce of 17,000. Some of these Special Agents are stationed in foreign countries and work in U.S. Embassies as "Legal Attaches", or as they are known in the FBI: LEGATS. Both new and veteran agents are routinely trained at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
- The FBI Police - The FBI also maintains a force of 1,000 uniformed Security police officers in the FBI Police for protecting the J. Edgar Hoover Building, FBI Academy at MCB Quantico and the New York Field Office.

Present mission of the FBI

MCB Quantico As of June 2002, the FBI's official top priority is counterterrorism. The USA PATRIOT Act granted the FBI increased powers, especially in wiretapping and monitoring of internet activity. One of the most controversial provisions of the act is the so-called "sneak and peek" provision, granting the FBI powers to search a house while the residents are away, and not requiring them to notify the residents for several weeks afterwards. Under the PATRIOT Act's provisions the FBI also resumed inquiring into the library records of those it suspected of terrorism, something it had supposedly not done since the 1970s. The bureau is also charged with the responsibility of enforcing compliance of the United States Civil Rights Act of 1964 and investigating violations of The Act in addition to prosecuting such violations with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The FBI also shares concurrent jurisdiction with the DEA in the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. As of July 2005, the FBI's counterterrorism duties are to be consolidated in the new National Security Service, remotely similar to the UK's MI5.

History of the FBI

The FBI originated from a force of Special Agents created on July 26, 1908, by Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. At first it was named the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) and it did not become the FBI until 1935. Under J. Edgar Hoover, who became director of the Bureau on May 10, 1924, the agency spent much of its energy on investigating political activists who were not accused of any crime (e.g., Albert Einstein as a socialist). The FBI Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory (better known as the FBI Crime Lab) officially opened on November 24, 1932. During the 1930s, the agency played a prominent role in apprehending a number of well-known criminals who had conducted kidnappings, robberies and murders throughout the nation. These included John Dillinger, "Baby Face" Nelson, Kate "Ma" Barker, Alvin Karpis and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. It also played a decisive role in reducing the scope and influence of the Ku Klux Klan. Beginning with the 1940s and continuing into the 1970s, the agency investigated cases of espionage against the United States and its allies. Eight Nazi agents who had planned sabotage operations against American targets were arrested. Although Hoover initially doubted the existence of a close-knit organized crime network in the United States, the bureau later conducted operations against known organized crime syndicates and families, including those headed by Sam Giancana and John Gotti. Hoover's investigation of Martin Luther King was also notorious. The FBI found no evidence of any crime, but attempted to use tapes of King involved in sexual activity for blackmail. Further, the FBI sent anonymous letters to King encouraging him to commit suicide. In the 1990s, it turned out that the FBI's crime lab had repeatedly done shoddy work. In some cases, the technicians, given evidence that actually cleared a suspect, reported instead that it proved the suspect guilty. Many cases had to be reopened when this pattern of errors was discovered.

Bureau of Investigation (BOI) Directors (1908–35)

- Stanley Finch (1908–12)
- A. Bruce Bielaski (1912–19)
- Acting director: William E. Allen (1919)
- William J. Flynn (1919–21)
- William J. Burns (1921–24)
- J. Edgar Hoover (1924–72)

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Directors (1936–present)

On July 1, 1932, the Bureau was renamed the United States Bureau of Investigation. One year later on July 1, 1933, it was linked with the Bureau of Prohibition and became known as the Division of Investigation. Finally, in 1935, the bureau was renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). After J. Edgar Hoover's death, the FBI imposed a policy limiting the tenure of future FBI directors to a maximum of ten years. The FBI Directors from this period on are:
- J. Edgar Hoover (1924–72)
- Acting director: Clyde Tolson (May 2–3, 1972)
- Acting director: L. Patrick Gray (1972–3)
- Acting director: William D. Ruckelshaus (1973)
- Clarence M. Kelley (1973–78)
- Acting director: James B. Adams (1978)
- William H. Webster (1978–87)
- Acting Director: John Otto (1987)
- William S. Sessions (1987–93)
- Acting Director: Floyd I. Clarke (1993)
- Louis J. Freeh (1993–2001)
- Acting Director: Thomas J. Pickard (2001)
- Robert S. Mueller III (2001–present)

Publications of the FBI

- Uniform Crime Reports

Flim is avaible

PBS - National Geographic Special: The FBI, does provide important footage of the FBI's headquaters exspecially of the Strategic Information and Operations Center (SIOC) [http://www.fbi.gov/hq/siocfs.htm]. There is information in this that is hard to get elsewhere. It does not have everything.

External links

- [http://www.fbi.gov Official FBI website]
- [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/fugitives.htm Official FBI ten most wanted list]
- [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/tenfaq.htm Frequently asked questions] This has been used as a source.
- [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/topten.pdf History of the Top Ten List]
- [http://www.fbi.gov/fbihistory.htm The history of FBI]
- [http://foia.fbi.gov/ FBI Disclosures under Freedom of Information Act]
- [http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fbi/index.html Federal Bureau of Investigation] at fas.org

	North:RCMP
West: N/A	FBI	East: Scotland Yard
	South: N/A

Category:U.S. intelligence agencies Category:United States Federal law enforcement agencies Category:United States Department of Justice Category:Anti-communism Category:Political repression zh-min-nan:Liân-pang Tiāu-châ-kio̍k ja:連邦捜査局

United States Department of Justice

:Justice Department redirects here. For other meanings of the term, see Justice Department (disambiguation). The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is a Cabinet department in the United States government designed to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans. It is administered by the United States Attorney General, one of the original members of the cabinet.

History

Initially the Attorney General was a one-person, part-time job, established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, but this grew with the bureaucracy. At one time the Attorney General gave legal advice to U.S. Congress as well as the President, but this had stopped by 1819 on account of the workload involved. In 1867, the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, led by William Lawrence, conducted an inquiry into the creation of a "law department" headed by the Attorney General and composed of the various department solicitors and district attorneys. On February 19, 1868, Lawrence introduced a bill in Congress to create the Department of Justice. This first bill was unsuccessful, however, as Lawrence could not devote enough time to ensure its passage owing to his occupation with the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson. At last, eighty-one years after the establishment of the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice was established. A second bill was introduced to Congress by Rhode Island Representative Thomas Jenckes on February 25, 1870, and both the Senate and House passed the bill. President Ulysses S. Grant signed the bill into law on June 22, 1870. Officially, the Department of Justice began operations on July 1, 1870. The bill, called the "Act to Establish the Department of Justice", did little to change the Attorney General's responsibilities, and his salary and tenure remained the same. The law did create a new office, that of Solicitor General, to supervise and conduct government litigation in the Supreme Court of the United States. Various efforts, none entirely successful, have been made to determine the meaning of the Latin motto appearing on the Department of Justice seal, Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur. It is not even known exactly when the original version of the DOJ seal itself was adopted, or when the motto first appeared on the seal. The most authoritative opinion of the DOJ suggests that the motto refers to the Attorney General (and thus to the Department of Justice) "who prosecutes on behalf of justice (or the Lady Justice)".

Operating units

- Antitrust Division
- Asset Forfeiture Program
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE or ATFE)
- Civil Division
- Civil Rights Division
- Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
- Community Relations Service
- Criminal Division
- U.S. DOJ Office of Special Investigations(OSI)
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Diversion Control Program
- Environment and Natural Resources Division
- Executive Office for Immigration Review
- Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (see also U.S. Attorney)
- Executive Office for U.S. Trustees
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Federal Bureau of Prisons
- National Institute of Corrections
- Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States
- INTERPOL — U.S. National Central Bureau
- Justice Management Division
- National Crime Information Center
- National Drug Intelligence Center
- National Security Service
- Office of the Associate Attorney General
- Office of the Attorney General
- Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management
- Office of the Deputy Attorney General
- Office of Dispute Resolution
- Office of Information and Privacy
- Office of the Inspector General
- Office of Intelligence Policy and Review
- Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
- Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
- American Indian and Alaska Native Affairs Desk
- Bureau of Justice Assistance
- Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
- Community Dispute Resolution
- Corrections Program Office
- Drug Courts Program Office
- Executive Office for Weed and Seed
- National Criminal Justice Reference Service
- National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
- Office for Victims of Crime
- Violence Against Women Office
- Office of Legal Counsel
- Office of Legal Policy
- Office of Legislative Affairs
- Office of the Ombudsperson
- Office of the Pardon Attorney
- Office of Professional Responsibility
- Office of Public Affairs
- Office of the Solicitor General
- Office of Tribal Justice
- Tax Division
- U.S. Attorneys
- United States Marshals Service
- U.S. Parole Commission
- U.S. Trustee Program In March 2003, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service was abolished and its functions transferred to the United States Department of Homeland Security. The Executive Office for Immigration Review and the Board of Immigration Appeals which review decisions made by government officials under Immigration and Nationality law remain under jursidiction of the Department of Justice.

External link

- [http://www.usdoj.gov/ United States Department of Justice website] Justice Department of Justice
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Attorney General

In most common law jurisdictions, the Attorney General or Attorney-General, is the main legal adviser to the government, and in some jurisdictions may in addition have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.

Australia

In Australia the Attorney-General is the chief law officer of the Crown and a member of the Cabinet. The Attorney-General is the minister responsible for legal affairs, national and public security and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. The current Attorney General, as of 2005, is Phillip Ruddock. The Justice and Customs Minister is the minister assisting the Attorney-General. The current Minister is Senator Chris Ellison. The Justice and Customs Minister is responsable for the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Customs Service. The Australian states each have an Attorney General, who is a state minister with similar responsibilities to the federal minister with respect to state law. Functions of the state and federal Attorneys General include the administration of the selection of persons for nomination to judicial posts, and authorising prosecutions. In normal circumstances the prosecutorial powers of the AG are exercised by the Director of Public Prosecutions and staff, however the AG maintains formal control, including the power to initiate and terminate public prosecutions and take over private prosecutions. Statutory criminal law provides that prosecutions for certain offences require the individual consent of the AG. (This is generally for offences whose illegality is of a somewhat controversial nature, or where there is perceived to be a significant risk that prosecutions of a political nature may be embarked upon.) The AG also generally has the power to issue certificates legally conclusive of certain facts (e.g. that the revelation of certain matters in court proceedings might constitute a risk to national security); the facts stated in such certificates must be accepted by the courts and cannot legally be disputed by any parties. The AG also has the power to issue directions of nolle prosequi with respect to an offence, which legally prohibit any person from prosecuting it.

Brazil

In Brazil the Attorney General - Procurador Geral da República - is the head of the federal prosecution service - Ministério Público Federal ([Procuradoria Geral da República])- an autonomous organ in charge of criminal prosecution, the defence of minorities' interests, the environment, and the protection of constitutional values. The Attorney General heads a group of independent magistrates who work to investigate and prosecute criminal and civil offenses committed against society and, specially, against racial, sexual, religious and political minorities or the environment. The task of advising the President, head of the Executive Branch, is left to the Advocate General, office in charge of deffending the federal government, and the Minister of Justice, a cabinet member who is in charge of the federal police, amongst other duties, organ which investigating activities are overseen by federal prosecutors (Procuradores da República) in the Attorney General's office.

Canada

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General are combined into one cabinet position in Canada. The Attorney General is the chief law officer of the Crown. The Minister of Justice is concerned with questions of policy and their relationship to the justice system. The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (previously titled Solicitor General) is a separate cabinet position and administers the police, prisons, and security agencies of the federal government. See also Attorney General of Ontario

England and Wales

The Attorney General for England and Wales is similarly the chief law officer of the Crown in England and Wales, and advises and represents the Crown and government departments in court. In practice, the Treasury Solicitor normally provides the lawyers to do the actual appearance in court, although the Attorney General may appear in person if he wishes. He provides legal advice to the Government; for example, on the legality of the second Gulf War. He also acts as the representative of the public interest; for example, in relation to charities. The Attorney General has supervisory powers over the prosecution of criminal offences, but is not personally involved with prosecutions; however, some prosecutions (e.g. Riot) cannot be commenced without his consent, and he has the power to halt prosecutions generally. Criminal prosecutions are the responsibility of the Crown Prosecution Service, headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Attorney General may appeal cases to the higher courts where, although the particular case is settled, a point of law of public importance is at issue. The Attorney General of the Duchy of Cornwall is the chief legal adviser to the Prince of Wales, and there is a separate Attorney General for the Duchy of Lancaster, which is owned by the Crown. : For Scotland, see Lord Advocate

Northern Ireland

During the period of direct rule in Northern Ireland from 1973 to 1998, the Attorney General for England and Wales was also Attorney General for Northern Ireland. Under the Good Friday Agreement, the Northern Ireland executive is now advised by an Advocate General for Northern Ireland.

Hong Kong

The Attorney General of Hong Kong, renamed Secretary for Justice after transfer of sovereignty in 1997, is the legal adviser of the Hong Kong Government and heads the Department of Justice, assisted by the Solicitor General. Crimes and offences are prosecuted at the suit of the Secretary of Justice. The Secretary of Justice, appointed (ceremonial) by the Central People's Government in Beijing on the advice of the Chief Executive, is an ex-officio member of the Executive Council. The position is normally held by a legal professional, and, before July 2002, a civil service position.

India

The Attorney General of India is the Indian government's chief legal advisor, and its primary lawyer in dealing with the Supreme Court of India. The attorney general is usually a highly-respected Senior Advocate of the Court, and is appointed by the ruling government. The office of the Attorney General was created by the Constitution of India, and attorneys general have the right to participate in the proceedings of the Parliament, though not to vote. Unlike e.g. the Attorney General of the United States, the Attorney General of India does not have executive authority and is not a government minister; those functions are performed by the Law Minister of India. The attorney general is assisted by the Solicitor General of India and several additional solicitors general.

Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland the Attorney-General is the principal law officer of the state and legal adviser to the Government of Ireland. He is not a member of the Government though he attends cabinet meetings. He is appointed by the President of Ireland upon the nomination of the Taoiseach. Before 1974 all crimes and offences were prosecuted at the suit of the Attorney General. Since then indictable criminal offences have been prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to Government is a constituent department of the Office of the Attorney General. Prior to 1922, a similar role was performed by a UK Government Minister, the Attorney-General for Ireland. : See also: Chief State Solicitor

Mexico

: See: Attorney General (Mexico)

New Zealand

In New Zealand, the Attorney-General is the chief law officer and primary legal advisor of the New Zealand government. Historically, the post could be held either by a politician or by a senior jurist, but today, it is invariably held by a member of Parliament. The Attorney-General attends Cabinet, but the post is not the same as the Minister of Justice. The Attorney-General has departmental responsibility for the Crown Law Office, the Parliamentary Counsel Office, and the Serious Fraud Office.

United States

In the Federal Government of the United States, the Attorney General is a member of the Cabinet and as head of the Department of Justice is the top law enforcement officer and lawyer for the government. The attorney general may need to be distinguished from the Solicitor General, a high Justice Department official with the responsibility of representing the government in the Supreme Court. In cases of exceptional importance, however, the Attorney General may choose to represent the government himself in the Supreme Court. The individual U.S. states also have Attorneys General with similar responsibilities. The majority of state Attorneys General are chosen by popular election, as opposed to the U.S. Attorney General who is a Presidential appointee. : See also: District Attorney

External links

- [http://www.prosecutor.info www.prosecutor.info] indexes over 2,900 prosecutor web sites throughout the USA and other countries
- [http://www.eatoncounty.org/prosecutor/pa-world.htm www.eatoncounty.org/prosecutor/pa-world.htm] indexes international (non-USA) Attorney General web sites
- [http://www.pgr.mpf.gov.br/ Home page of the Brazilian Attorney General]
- [http://www.irlgov.ie/ag/ Home page of the Irish Attorney General]
- [http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/index.html Home page of the Canadian Department of Justice]
- [http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/ Home page of the Attorney General of the United States]
- [http://www.ag.gov.au/ Home page of the Australian Attorney-General's Department] Category:Legal occupations

FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains a public list of the people it regards as the ten most wanted fugitives. The list itself has no particular ranking. It is commonly posted in public places such as post offices, making it effective in expediting the capture of those listed. Listed fugitives have been known to turn themselves in upon becoming aware of their listing. As of October 29, 2004, 479 fugitives have been listed (seven of them women), and 450 captured, 147 of them due to public assistance. The FBI also maintains a list of Most Wanted Terrorists, along with [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/alert/alert.htm FBI Crime Alerts], [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/kidnap/kidmiss.htm Missing Persons], and other fugitives.

Current most wanted list

The current most wanted fugitives include (in no particular order): ---- left

1. Usama bin Laden

Usama Bin Laden (a.k.a. Osama Bin Laden) is the leader of Al-Qaeda, and is wanted in connection with the August 7, 1998 bombings of the United States embassies in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. These attacks killed over 200 people. Osama and Al-Qaeda are also responsible for the October 12, 2000 attack on the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen, which killed 17. Although the Most Wanted Terrorist list was created in November 2001, bin Laden is not listed for his alleged role in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3000, because the Most Wanted list is based on individuals charged with a crime by a prosecutor or under indictment by a grand jury. Bin Laden has been named as an unindicted co-conspirator in, for instance, the federal indictment against Zacarias Moussaoui, but has not been formally indicted for his role in the September 11 attacks. Bin Laden is the subject of a $50 million reward through the State Department's Rewards for Justice program targeting international fugitives, especially terrorists. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/laden.htm Usama Bin Laden's FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Alert] [http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/wanted_captured/index.cfm?page=Bin_Laden Rewards for Justice Wanted Terrorist Osama bin Laden]
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2. Genero Espinosa Dorantes

Genero Espinosa Dorantes is wanted for his alleged participation in the burning, beating, torture, and murder of his four-year old stepson in Nashville, Tennessee, in February 2003. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/dorantes.htm Dorantes' FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
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3. Victor Manuel Gerena

Victor Manuel Gerena is wanted in connection with the armed robbery of approximately $7 million from a security company in Connecticut in 1983. He allegedly took two security employees hostage at gunpoint and then handcuffed, bound and injected them with an unknown substance in order to further disable them. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/gerena.htm Gerena's FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
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4. Richard Steve Goldberg

Richard Steve Goldberg is wanted for allegedly engaging in sexual activities with several female children under the age of ten in Long Beach, California, from January through May of 2001. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/goldberg.htm Goldberg's FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
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5. James J. Bulger

James J. "Whitey" Bulger is wanted for his role in numerous murders (18 counts) committed from the early 1970s through the mid-1980s in connection with his leadership of an organized crime group that allegedly controlled extortion, drug deals, and other illegal activities in the Boston, Massachusetts area. He has a violent temper and is known to carry a knife at all times. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/bulger.htm Bulger' s FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
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6. Glen Stewart Godwin

Glen Stewart Godwin is being sought for his 1987 escape from Folsom State Prison in California, where he was serving a lengthy sentence for murder. Later in 1987, Godwin was arrested for drug trafficking in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. After being convicted, he was sent to a prison in Guadalajara, Jalisco. In April 1991, Godwin allegedly murdered a fellow inmate and then escaped five months later. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/godwin.htm Godwin's FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
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7. Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez

Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez is being sought in connection with the manufacture and distribution of multiple tons of cocaine, knowing or intending that it will be imported into the United States. Montoya is reputedly one of the principal leaders of the Colombian North Valley Drug Cartel. The North Valley Cartel is believed to be the most powerful and violent drug trafficking organization in Colombia. The cartel reportedly relies heavily for protection on illegal armed groups, taking help from right-wing paramilitaries as well as leftist rebels. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/montoya.htm Montoya's FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
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8. Robert William Fisher

Robert William Fisher is wanted for allegedly killing his wife and two young children and then blowing up the house in which they all lived in Scottsdale, Arizona in April of 2001. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/fisher.htm Fisher's FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
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9. Donald Eugene Webb

Donald Eugene Webb is wanted in connection with the murder on December 4, 1980, of the police chief in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania who was shot twice at close range after being brutally beaten about the head and face with a blunt instrument. On the list since 1981, no person has been on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list longer in its history. [http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/webb.htm Webb's FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
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10. Jorge Alberto Lopez-Orozco

Jorge Alberto Lopez-Orozco is wanted in connection with the murders of a woman and her two young children, ages 2 and 4, in Elmore County, Idaho. The victims' charred remains were found on August 11, 2002, inside a burned-out vehicle. He may be travelling with his brother, Simon Lopez-Orozco, and Simon's wife, both of whom have been charged as accessories in the crime.

Previous entries

- Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi
- Margaret Rudin
- Clayton Waagner
- Patrick Robert Joseph Morgan Category:Federal Bureau of Investigation

Law enforcement

]] ] Police forces are government organisations charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order. The word comes from the French, and less directly from the Greek politeia, referring to government or administration; the word police was coined in France in the 18th century. The police may also be known as a constabulary, after constables, who were an early manifestation of police officers. In most Western legal systems, the major role of the police is to discourage and investigate crimes, with particular emphases on crime against persons or property and the maintenance of public order, and if able to apprehend suspected perpetrator(s), to detain them, and inform the appropriate authorities. See criminal law. Police are often used as an emergency service and may provide a public safety function at large gatherings, as well as in emergencies, disasters, and search and rescue situations. To provide a prompt response in emergencies, the police often coordinate their operations with fire and emergency medical services. In many countries there is a common emergency service number that allows the police, firefighters or medical services to be summoned to an emergency. Police are also responsible for reporting minor offences by issuing citations which typically may result in the imposition of fines, particularly for violations of traffic law. Police sometimes involve themselves in the maintenance of public order, even where no legal transgressions have occurred — for example, in some Australian jurisdictions, people who are drunk and causing a public nuisance may be removed to a "drying-out centre" until they recover from the effects of the alcohol.

History

In ancient times, the military was mostly responsible for maintaining law and order in cities. The Roman Empire had a reasonably effective law enforcement system until the decline of the empire, though there was never an actual police force in the city of Rome itself. Beginning in the 5th century, policing became a function of clan chiefs and heads of state. Local lords and nobles were responsible to maintain order in their lands, and often appointed a constable, sometimes unpaid, to enforce the law. In 1663, London hired watchmen to guard the streets at night, augmenting the force of unpaid constables, as the first paid law enforcement body. This practice was widespread throughout the United Kingdom. Then, on June 30 1800 the authorities of Glasgow, Scotland successfully petitioned the Government to pass the Glasgow Police Act establishing the City of Glasgow Police. This was the first professional police service in the country and was different from previous law enforcement in that it practiced preventative policing. This was quickly followed in other towns, which set up their own police forces by individual Acts of Parliament ^{[http://www.scotia-news.com/issue5/ISSUE05a.htm]}. In 1829, the Metropolitan Police Act was passed by Parliament, allowing Sir Robert Peel, the then home secretary, to found the London Metropolitan Police, generally regarded as the first civil police force organised on modern lines. It became a model for the police forces of many countries, including the United States. The first police service to be set up outside the UK was in Gibraltar, with the formation of the Gibraltar Police (now Royal Gibraltar Police) in 1830. By 1721, the Mossos d'Esquadra had been formed in Catalonia in north eastern Spain. In 1834, the Toronto Police were founded in Canada, one of the first municipal police departments in North America. In the United States some of the first full-time police forces were the Boston founded in 1839 and the New York City in 1845.

Multiple levels of police agencies

In many countries, particularly those with a federal system of government, there may be several police or police-like organisations, each serving different levels of government and enforcing different subsets of the applicable law.

Australia

In Australia there are two levels of police forces, state police and the Australian Federal Police. Each State as well as the Northern Territory is responsible for maintaining its own police force which is responsible for policing at the state and local level. This involves general law and order, traffic policing, major crime, anti-terrorism branches, water police, search and rescue and in some states transit police. Local policing in the Australian Capital Territory, Jervis Bay Territory and Australia's external territories is contracted to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). In some states, local governments employ by-laws officers or rangers to enforce local by-laws or ordinances relating to such matters as parking, dog ownership, retailing, littering or water usage. These local government officers are not considered to be police forces as they generally only have the power to issue fines and do not have the same powers as state police, such as the power of arrest. The Australian Federal Police operates at a Federal level and concerns itself with Federal laws including corporate law, drug smuggling, money laundering, people smuggling, e-crime and anti-terrorism. Australian Federal Police Officers also serve on international peacekeeping and policing operations in such places as Cyprus, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Other Federal Agencies are also responsible for specific areas of law enforcement. These include the Australian Crime Commission, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Australian Customs Service.

Brazil

In Brazil there are two or three levels of policing: the Brazilian Federal Police and state police operate everywhere, and some cities also have City Guards. Each State is responsible for maintaining its own police forces, which are responsible for policing at the state and local level. Patrol and order duties are carried out by a military police force and investigation duties by a civil police force. Because of this division of responsibilities, there is lot of tension between these forces. In some cities, the local government employs city guards, who patrol municipal property such as parks and the environs of city halls. City guards are not permitted to carry firearms on duty. The Brazilian Federal Police operates at a Federal level and concerns itself with Federal laws, including corporate law, drug smuggling, money laundering, people smuggling, e-crime and anti-terrorism.

Canada

e-crime In Canada, there are three levels of police forces: municipal, provincial, and federal. Constitutionally, law enforcement is a provincial responsibility, although most urban areas have been given the authority to maintain their own police forces. Small municipalities contract out their law enforcement to the provincial authorities, and all but three provinces in turn contract out their provincial law enforcement responsibilities to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the federal force, which therefore is the only police force to service three distinct levels in the area. Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland maintain their own provincial police forces: The Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Smaller Canadian cities often contract police service from the RCMP, while larger cities maintain their own force. There are also a few private police forces, with the same powers as other governmental forces. The Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railroads both have their own police forces, whose duty is to prevent pilferage of the merchandise being carried on their rail systems and to protect staff, passengers and property. Other entities, such as Hydro Québec and formerly the National Harbour Board, also have their own police forces.

France

National Harbour Board National Harbour Board In France, there are two separate national police agencies, with overlapping but different jurisdiction:
- the National Police (Police Nationale) in the towns;
- the Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale; military police) in the country, villages and small towns. A similar diffusion exists, or has existed, in several other countries following the French system. Additionally, French municipalities may have a local police called the police municipale, garde municipale or garde champetre, with restricted powers: they can only enforce the municipal by-laws (amongst which those related to the road circulation) and participate in prevention actions (survey, evacuation of buildings, protection against accidents, etc.). These personnel may or may not be allowed to bear firearms. In French, the term "police" not only refers to the forces, but also to the general concept of "maintenance of law and order" (policing). There are two types of police in this general sense:
- administrative police (police administrative): uniformed preventative patrols, traffic duties etc., with limited powers of arrest.
- judicial police (police judiciaire): law enforcement and investigation of crime, with full powers of arrest. Thus, the mayor has administrative police power in a town (i.e. they can order the police to enforce the municipal by-laws), and a judge has police power in their court (i.e. they can have people who disrupt the proceedings expelled from the court room). Until 1984, the National Police was involved in the prehospital care and casualty transport (Police secours). The prehospital care is now performed by firefighters; however, mountain rescue is performed by the Gendarmerie PGHM (Peloton de gendarmerie de haute montagne) and the National Police CRS (Compagnies républicaines de sécurité; Republican Security Companies). Some other countries follow this model and have separate police agencies with the same role but different jurisdictions.

Germany

CRS CRS Germany is a Federal Republic based on sixteen states. Each of those states has its own police force. Each is supervised by the Minister (or, in Bremen, Hamburg and Berlin, the Senator) of Internal Affairs of the state. Although uniforms and vehicle colour schemes are similar all over Germany, the police forces are structured slightly differently in each state. For example, the Kriminalpolizei (detective branch) are part of the ordinary police force in some states and separate organizations in others. In addition, the Federal Government has a Federal Police, previously called the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Protection), but from 2005 named the Bundespolizei (Federal Police). The German Federal Railways also had its own police force, the Bahnpolizei (Railway Police). When the railways were privatized in the 1990s, the Bahnpolizei was assimilated into the Bundesgrenzschutz, since executive power in Germany is only permitted by law to be under government control. Private police forces are therefore not allowed in Germany. Due to the ideal of using the same color of police uniforms and vehicles throughout the European Union, the German police have in the last few years begun to slowly change from green to blue. Hamburg was the first state to make the transition. Before German reunification on 3 October 1990, the German Democratic Republic was policed by the Volkspolizei (People's Police).

India

The police is under the state jurisdiction. The police reports to the state home department. Each state has its State Police and large cities have a Metropolitan Police.

Interpol

Most countries are members of the International Criminal Police Organization - Interpol, established to detect and fight trans-national crime and provide for international co-operation and coordination of other police activities, such as notifying relatives of the death of foreign nationals. Interpol does not conduct enquiries nor arrests by itself, but only serves as a central point for information on crime, suspects and criminals. Political crimes are excluded from its competencies.

Japan

Political crime]] Japan's police are an apolitical body under the general supervision of an independent agency, the National Police Agency, and free of direct central government executive control. They are checked by an independent judiciary and monitored by a free and active press. The police are generally well respected and can rely on considerable public cooperation in their work.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is a unitary (as opposed to federal) state, and police forces, generally speaking, are organised at the level of administrative districts. Certain departments of the Metropolitan Police operate throughout the country, including the Anti-Terrorist Branch, Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department, and certain units of Special Branch. The new Serious Organised Crime Agency will also be a national agency that will work in all police areas. The smallest UK force is the City of London Police.

The United States of America

City of London Police State Police, United States]] In the United States, there are several levels of policing and law enforcement services, federal police, state police (often called state troopers or highway patrol), special-purpose district police (parks, schools, housing, transit, etc), county police (sheriffs, constables, and some county police agencies), and local police. There are thousands of separate police forces. Local policing is usually conducted by the police departments at the county, city, township or village level and may range from one person offices (sometimes still called the town marshal) to the 40,000 men and women of the New York City Police Department. County sheriffs, county police, state police, and highway patrols enforce laws in their particular jurisdictions and are usually the only police in unincorporated areas beyond the jurisdiction of the cities. They also assist the local police with investigations and may operate county jails. Special district police vary in their levels of authority. In some states, they serve as little more than security police, but in states such as California, special district forces are composed of fully-sworn peace officers with statewide authority. These include the Los Angeles School Police Department, which with a deployment of 525 sworn and non-sworn personnel covers 708 square miles from five police divisions and the Minneapolis Park Police Department, a much smaller unit with a deployment of 38 sworn police officers and 27 non-sworn Park Patrol agents. Federal police fall into two broad categories:
- Investigative agencies (such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Secret Service); and
- uniformed security police agencies (such as the Federal Protective Service, U.S. Mint Police, United States Park Police and United States Border Patrol). United States Border Patrol Both types operate at the highest level and are endowed with police or quasi-police roles. The investigative agencies have nationwide jurisdiction, while the uniformed agencies tend to have rather limited territorial jurisdictions. The FBI has the most general investigative powers, while the other federal agencies are highly specialized. All federal agencies are limited by the U.S. Constitution to investigating only matters that are explicitly within the power of the federal government, like interstate commerce. However, federal investigative powers have become very broad in practice, especially since the passing of the USA PATRIOT Act. Because of all this complexity, at a crime or disaster scene affecting large numbers of people, there will be many different police agencies involved. Usually the highest local agency, or the highest federal law enforcement agency (the FBI), if a federal law was involved, will take command in such confusing situations, as depicted in movies like The Negotiator or Die Hard.

Police armament and equipment

Die Hard] Die Hard)]] Die Hard]] Die Hard Die Hard, Switzerland]] In many jurisdictions, police officers carry firearms in the normal course of their duties. Police often have specialist units for handling armed offenders, and similar dangerous situations, and can often, in extreme circumstances, call on the military, sometimes including special forces like the SAS. They can also be equipped with non-lethal (more accurately known as "less than lethal" or "less-lethal") weaponry, particularly for riot control. Non-lethal weapons include batons, shields, riot control agents, rubber bullets and stun guns. The use of firearms or deadly force is typically a last resort only to be used when necessary to save human life, although some jurisdictions allow its use against fleeing felons and escaped convicts. Police officers often also carry handcuffs to restrain suspects. Modern police forces make extensive use of radio communications equipment, carried both on the person and installed in vehicles, to coordinate their work, share information, and get help quickly. In recent years, vehicle-installed computers have enhanced the ability of police communications, enabling easier dispatching of calls, criminal background checks on persons of interest to be completed in a matter of seconds, and updating the officer's daily activity log and other required reports on a real-time basis. Other common pieces of police equipment include flashlights, whistles, and, most importantly, notebooks and "ticketbooks" or citations.

In specific countries

India

Unlike in many other countries, the various state police forces in India extensively use the Jeep as their main mode of transport. Jeeps are known for their capabilities to move around in any sort of terrain. The Jeep is always the primary mode of transport at the police station, although for traffic enforcement and patrolling, motorcycles are also extensively used. The Jeeps are provided with wireless sets, light bars and sirens. In specific cases, the Jeeps may also be fitted with hard covers, rather than the canvas cover.

Ireland

The Republic of Ireland has an unarmed police force, An Garda Síochána, although they are all trained to use firearms and all detectives and special units carry them.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom and some other countries of the British police tradition, the police are not normally issued firearms, but are issued other weapons (batons, pepper spray, CS Spray etc.), although some officers may be issued firearms in special situations. This originates from the formation of the Metropolitan Police in the 19th Century, when police were not armed, partly to counter public fears and objections concerning armed enforcers. However, the Ministry of Defence Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary and Police Service of Northern Ireland (formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary) are issued firearms as a matter of routine. Every force can also call upon armed response units in a matter of minutes, and certain specialist squads, such as the Flying Squad, Special Branch, Diplomatic Protection Group, Royalty Protection Branch, and officers protecting airports and government buildings, are routinely armed. The archetypal British "bobby" walked his beat alone. Apart from rapid response units, motor vehicles were rarely used except in rural districts (and even there, bicycles were more common). However, in the last few decades the police have become increasingly motorised and it is now rare to see an officer on foot patrol except in city or town centres, and then rarely alone, although police forces have recently begun to put more police back on the beat. Patrol cars, sometimes known as panda cars (or sometimes jam sandwiches), are in use everywhere and may be crewed by one or two officers. Except for rapid response and traffic patrol vehicles, they are generally smaller and less powerful than American vehicles.

United States

Police in the United States usually carry a pistol (Glocks and Sig-Sauers are the most common) and an impact weapon - a baton, also known as a "nightstick". Most large police departments have elite SWAT units which are called in to handle situations which require greater force, such as hostage situations and building raids. Some departments also use nonlethal weapons like Mace, pepper spray, electroshock guns, and beanbag rifles. Some police departments allow their officers to carry shotguns or assault rifles in their vehicles for additional firepower. To efficiently cover the sprawling layout of the typical American city, American police officers usually patrol in pairs called "units," and ride in specialized cars (such as the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor) called "cruisers", "patrol cars", or "prowl cars", or in the New York City Police Department "RMPs" (Radio Mobile Patrol). High-speed car chases are common in certain areas of the United States, so police officers are usually trained in high-speed driving techniques and the PIT maneuver. Horses are still used, mainly in crowd control situations, but in remote areas occasionally for patrol or search and rescue.

Restrictions upon the power of the police

In order for police officers to do their job well, they are vested by the state with a monopoly in the use of certain powers. These include the powers to arrest, search, seize, and interrogate; and if necessary, to kill. In nations with democratic systems and the rule of law, the law of criminal procedure has been developed to regulate officers' discretion, so that they do not exercise their vast powers arbitrarily or unjustly. criminal procedure] In American criminal procedure, the most famous case is Miranda v. Arizona which led to the widespread use of Miranda warnings. American police are also prohibited from holding criminal suspects for more than a reasonable amount of time (usually two days) before arraignment, using torture to extract confessions, using excessive force to effect an arrest, and searching suspects' bodies or their homes without a warrant obtained upon a showing of probable cause. There are exceptions for exigent circumstances such as the need to disarm a suspect who is resisting arrest. The Posse Comitatus Act prevents the use of the U.S. military for police activity, giving added importance to police SWAT units. British police officers are governed by similar rules, particularly those introduced under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, but generally have greater powers. They may, for example, legally search any suspect who has been arrested, or their vehicles, home or business premises, without a warrant, and may seize anything they find in a search as evidence. Unlike the system in many countries, a British police officer's rank has no bearing on his or her powers - all police powers are derived from the "office of constable" into which every police officer has been sworn and the newest probationary constable (or part-time volunteer special constable) has exactly the same powers as the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, Britain's most senior police officer.

Difficult issues

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis Police organizations must sometimes deal with the issue of police corruption, which is often abetted by a code of silence that encourages unquestioning loyalty to one's comrades over the cause of justice. In the comparatively rare event that an officer breaks this code on a significant scale, they may receive death threats or even be left for dead, as in the case of Frank Serpico. One way to fight such corruption is by having an independent or semi-independent organization investigate, such as (in the United States) the FBI, internal affairs, or the Justice Department. However, truly independent organizations are generally not called in except for the most openly severe cases. Some police organizations, especially in multi-racial or multi-ethnic areas, are faced with routine accusations of racial profiling. Police forces also find themselves under criticism for their use of force, particularly deadly force, when a police officer of one race kills a suspect of another race. In the United States, such events routinely spark protests and accusations of racism against police. Finally, in many places, the social status and pay of police can lead to major problems with recruitment and morale. For more information on extreme forms and various views of policing, see secret police, police state, corporate police state, thought police, and police brutality.

Policing structures

Most police forces contain subgroups whose job it is to investigate particular types of crime. In most Western police forces, perhaps the most significant division is between "uniformed" police and detectives. Uniformed police, as the name suggests, wear uniforms, and their jobs involve overt policing operations, traffic control, and more active crime response and prevention. Detectives, by contrast, wear 'business attire' when their job is to more professonally investigate crimes, usually on a longer-term basis. There are also "plainclothes" officers, who are required to dress in more casual attire for purposes of blending in better. In some cases, police are assigned to work "undercover", where they do not identify themselves as police, sometimes for long periods, to investigate crimes, particularly organized crime, unsolvable by other means. This type of policing shares much with espionage. Specialized groups exist within the branches either for dealing with particular types of crime (for instance, traffic policing, murder, or fraud) or because of particular specialised skills they have (for instance, diving, operating helicopters, bomb squad, and so on). Most larger jurisdictions also retain specially-trained quasi-military squads armed with small arms for the purposes of dealing with particularly violent situations; and they are often equipped with an additional arsenal of non-lethal tactical tools like tear gas, "flashbang" and concussion grenades, and rubber bullets (since their situational mandate typically focuses on removing innocent bystanders from dangerous people and dangerous situations, not violent resolution). These are sometimes called SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) teams. Lastly, Western law enforcement commonly employs "internal affairs" police whose job is to oversee and investigate the officers themselves. They do not typically carry firearms and limit their work to fighting bribery, graft, and other forms of internal corruption.

United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It was completed on September 17, 1787, with its adoption by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was later ratified by special conventions in each of the original thirteen states. It created a federal union of sovereign states, and a federal government to operate that union. It replaced the less defined union that had existed under the Articles of Confederation. It took effect in 1789 and has served as a model for the constitutions of numerous other nations. nations] nations nations nations

History

During the Revolutionary War, the thirteen states first formed a very weak central government—with the Congress being its only component—under the Articles of Confederation. Congress lacked any power to impose taxes, and, because there was no national executive or judiciary, relied on state authorities (who were often uncooperative) to enforce all of its acts. It also had no authority to override tax laws and tariffs between states. The Articles required unanimous consent from all the states before they could be amended and states took the central government so lightly that their representatives were often absent. For lack of a quorum, Congress was frequently blocked from making even moderate changes. In September 1786, commissioners from five states met in the Annapolis Convention to discuss adjustments to the Articles of Confederation that would improve commerce. They invited state representatives to convene in Philadelphia to discuss improvements to the federal government. After debate, the Confederation Congress endorsed the plan to revise the Articles of Confederation on February 21, 1787. Twelve states (Rhode Island being the only exception) accepted this invitation and sent delegates to convene in May 1787. The resolution calling the Convention specified its purpose was to propose amendments to the Articles, but the Convention decided to propose a rewritten Constitution. The Philadelphia Convention voted to keep deliberations secret and decided to draft a new fundamental government design which eventually stipulated that only 9 of the 13 states would have to ratify for the new government to go into effect. These actions were criticized by some as exceeding the convention's mandate and existing law. However, Congress, noting dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation government, unanimously agreed to submit the proposal to the states despite what some perceived as the exceeded terms of reference. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was completed in Philadelphia, and the new government it prescribed came into existence on March 4, 1789, after fierce fights over ratification in many of the states. The original transcribed copy of the Constitution is on permanent display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. For a list of those who signed the Constitution, see List of signatories of the United States Constitution.

The Constitution

The U.S. Constitution styles itself the "supreme law of the land." Courts have interpreted this phrase to mean that when laws (including state constitutions) that have been passed by state legislatures, or by the (national) U.S. Congress, are found to conflict with the federal constitution, these laws are ultra vires and have no effect. Decisions by the Supreme Court over the course of two centuries have repeatedly confirmed and strengthened the doctrine of Constitutional supremacy, or the supremacy clause. supremacy clause The Constitution guarantees the legitimacy of the American state by invoking the American electorate. The people exercise authority through state actors both elected and appointed; some of these positions are provided for in the Constitution. State actors can change the fundamental law, if they wish, by amending the Constitution or, in the extreme, by drafting a new one. Different kinds of public officials have varying levels of limitations on their power. Elected officials can only continue in office if they are reelected at periodic intervals; appointed officials serve, in general, at the pleasure of the person or authority that appointed them, and may be removed at any time. The exception to this practice is the lifetime appointment by the President of Justices of the Supreme Court and other federal judges; the justification for this exception is that once appointed for life, these judges are presumed capable of acting free of political obligations or influence.

Principles of government

Although the Constitution has been amended several times since it was first adopted, its basic principles remain the same now as in 1789. There are three branches of the national government—executive, legislative, and judicial—and they are separate and distinct from one another. The powers given to each are in theory balanced and checked by the powers of the other two. Each branch ideally serves as a check on potential excesses of the others. This is known as "separation of powers", and was partly taken from the ideas of the Baron de Montesquieu. Baron de Montesquieu.]] The United States is federal in nature. Powers enumerated in the Constitution are given to the Federal Government, and all other, unenumerated, powers remain with the states or the people. (See the Tenth Amendment.) The Constitution, together with laws passed according to its provisions and treaties entered into by the president and approved by the Senate, stands above all other laws, executive acts, and regulations. Beginning with the case of Marbury v. Madison, the United States judiciary has engaged in judicial review. This means that the federal courts will examine duly enacted laws, and, if they are found to be unconstitutional, will overturn them. They also examine the acts of public officials—up to and including those of the president. (See United States v. Nixon.) Since the enactment of the Fourteenth Amendment, all persons have been equally entitled to the law's protection. All states are equal and in principle none can officially receive special treatment from the federal government. Within the limits of the Constitution, each state must recognize and respect the laws of the others. State governments, like the federal government, must be republican in form, with final legitimacy resting with the people. By means defined in the Fifth Article of the Constitution, Congress may propose amendments to the Constitution. Moreover, any two thirds of the states may themselves initiate a convention for proposing amendments. When ratified as specified, all amendments are considered part of the Constitution.

Preamble

The Preamble reads: :We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. The Preamble neither grants any powers nor inhibits any actions; it only explains the rationale behind the Constitution. The preamble, especially the first three words ("We the people"), is one of the most quoted and referenced sections of the Constitution.

Articles of the Constitution

The remainder of the constitution consists of seven articles.

Legislative power

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Article One establishes the legislative branch of government, U.S. Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Article establishes the manner of election and qualifications of members of each House. In addition, it outlines legislative procedure and indicates the powers of the legislative branch. Finally, it establishes limits on federal and state legislative power.

Executive power

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Article Two describes the presidency (the executive branch): procedures for the selection of the president, qualifications for office, the oath to be affirmed, the powers and duties of the office, and procedures for selection. It also provides for the office of Vice President of the United States, and specifies that the Vice President succeeds to the presidency if the President is incapacitated or resigns. The article nominally makes the Vice President the presiding officer of the Senate, but in practice the Vice President only serves as such under limited circumstances. Article Two also provides for the impeachment and removal from office of civil officers (the President, Vice President, judges, and others). (See presidential system).

Judicial power

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Article Three describes the court system (the judicial branch), including the Supreme Court. The article requires that there be one court called the Supreme Court; Congress, at its discretion, can create lower courts, whose judgments and orders are reviewable by the Supreme Court. Article Three also requires trial by jury in all criminal cases, defines the crime of treason, and charges Congress with providing for a punishment for it, while imposing limits on that punishment.

States' powers and limits

Article Four describes the relationship between the states and the Federal government, and amongst the states. For instance, it requires states to give "full faith and credit" to the public acts, records and court proceedings of the other states. Congress is permitted to regulate the manner in which proof of such acts, records or proceedings may be admitted. The "privileges and immunities" clause prohibits state governments from discriminating against citizens of other states in favor of resident citizens (e.g., having tougher penalties for residents of Ohio convicted of crimes within Arizona). It also establishes extradition between the states, as well as laying down a legal basis for freedom of movement and travel amongst the states. Today, this provision is sometimes taken for granted, especially by citizens who live near state borders; but in the days of the Articles of Confederation, crossing state lines was often a much more arduous (and costly) process.

Process of amendment

Article Five describes the process necessary to amend the Constitution. It establishes two methods of pr

FBI

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FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives

Current most wanted list

1. Usama bin Laden

2. Genero Espinosa Dorantes

3. Victor Manuel Gerena

4. Richard Steve Goldberg

5. James J. Bulger

6. Glen Stewart Godwin

7. Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez

8. Robert William Fisher

9. Donald Eugene Webb

10. Jorge Alberto Lopez-Orozco

Previous entries

Law enforcement

History

Multiple levels of police agencies

Australia

Brazil

Canada

France

Germany

India

Interpol

Japan

United Kingdom

The United States of America

Police armament and equipment

In specific countries

India

Ireland

United Kingdom

United States

Restrictions upon the power of the police

Difficult issues

Policing structures

See also

Police roles

Ethical issues related to police

Related concepts

Notable historical police personalities

Notable police officers better known in other walks of life

United States Constitution

History

The Constitution

Principles of government

Preamble

Articles of the Constitution

Legislative power