If you could look back in time to 60 years ago, you would see a totally different make-up and focus of police officers and police departments. Just as society is radically different than it was back then, so is the make-up and role of law enforcement. We have a much higher ratio of officers to the public today. Police are better educated, better trained, and better equipped than at any other time in history.

As drastically as the look of our police force has changed, their function has perhaps changed even more. Today police perform three common functions: crime control, order maintenance, and social work.

•Write a 350–700 word essay describing the primary functions police perform today. Include the following in your essay:
•Describe each function and discuss what type of activities police are responsible for within each function.
•Choose one of the three which you would consider the primary function of law enforcement. Justify your reasoning.
•Discuss how growing diversity and technological changes have impacted and will continue to impact the police force.
•Format your work consistent with APA guidelines.
•Include a title and reference page.
•Cite a minimum of two sources within the body of your paper using in-text citations where appropriate.