ABSTRACT
This chapter is devoted solely to the sociology of law enforcement. Enforcement will be construed narrowly as the arrest of persons suspected of committing a crime. Arrest is here regarded as a distinct operational step which involves decisions to interfere with the freedom of persons suspected of criminal conduct. The criminal code does not provide specific instructions for the enforcement of the law. How the law is enforced is largely a matter of discretion. In a sense there are as many systems of law enforcement as there are communities. Each police department must operate within a community. The behavior of the police is greatly influenced by the organization of police departments. The encounter can take place only when the police have been mobilized. The police tend to be mobilized through the actions of private citizens, rather than through police initiative. The encounter of policeman and citizen takes place in a specific offense situation.
