Law enforcement



Law enforcement broadly refers to any system by which some members of society act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating or punishing persons who violate the rules and norms governing that society. Although the term may encompass entities such as courts and prisons, it is most frequently applied to those who directly engage in patrols or surveillance to dissuade and discover criminal activity, and those who investigate crimes and apprehend offenders. Furthermore, although law enforcement may be most concerned with the prevention and punishment of crimes, organizations exist to discourage a wide variety of non-criminal violations of rules and norms, effected through the imposition of less severe consequences.

Organizations

Agency sizes range from one city / port to the entire Union. Most law enforcement is conducted by some type of local law enforcement agency, with the most typical agency fulfilling this role being the police. Societal investment in enforcement through such organizations can be massive, both in terms of the resources invested in the activity, and in the number of people professionally engaged to perform those functions. Jurisdiction

Law enforcement agencies tend to be limited to operating within a specified jurisdiction. In some cases, jurisdiction may overlap between organizations; for example, in the Union, each planet has its own planet-wide law enforcement arms, but the Federal Police are able to act against certain types of crimes occurring anywhere in the Union. Various specialized segments of society may have their own internal law enforcement arrangements. For example, military organizations may have military police.