A state and country would be neck-deep in chaos and crisis without the law enforcement agencies. There are many local and global law enforcement agencies around the world. However, in this article, we will discuss the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Police force of the United States of America. The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and the police are law enforcement agencies in the United States of America. Even though their primary mission is to maintain peace and prevent any attacks in the country, there is a considerable difference between them.
For instance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is a federal investigative unit controlled by the United States. However, police are the local law enforcement bodies responsible for dealing with the day-to-day functioning of law and order within the state or their jurisdiction. Most people are confused and are not aware of the roles and responsibilities of law enforcement agencies. So, here are the critical differences between the FBI And Police everyone should know.
- Key Differences Between FBI And Police Everyone Should Know:
- Roles and Responsibilities
As mentioned above, the roles and responsibilities of the two law enforcement agencies are different from each other. FBI and police are not the same, as the FBI deals with investigative matters related to crimes committed around drugs, fraud, and others violating federal laws. The police are responsible for preventing any crimes from happening in the first place and maintaining peace in their jurisdiction through patrolling.
The FBI may closely assist the police upon request, provide criminal information to various local law enforcement authorities and maintain forensic laboratories. FBI is also involved in cases like murders and robbery when the suspect involved crosses the state boundary. In short, any grave federal violations require the FBI to investigate and help the concerned law enforcement authorities find the suspect.
- Purview
Here’s another crucial difference between the FBI and the police. Most people assume that the purview and functioning of these two law enforcement agencies are the same in the US. However, that is not the case; the work of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) is to deal with crimes violating the federal statutes only. That means the FBI deals with any violation of the laws mentioned in the constitution.
At the same time, the work of the police is to deal with violations related to the local and state statutes. Each state or city may have a different set of laws and regulations. Thus, the police in the concerned jurisdiction deal with any such violations. The police have the authority to arrest a suspect who has committed or committing a crime in their jurisdiction only. However, the FBI has the power to make arrests all over the US for any federal offenses committed.
- Types
Let’s discuss the various types that each law enforcement has or doesn’t have. Firstly, the FBI does not have any type. It is a national security organization that deals with federal offenses and threats related to national security. However, the police have types involving uniformed officers and detectives. The uniformed officers are full-time sworn law enforcement authorities that patrol and respond to service calls. However, detectives do not have a uniform, and their primary role is to investigate criminal cases, gather evidence, and perform other court-related duties.
Detectives also carry out any additional authoritative duties. Examining records, conducting interviews, and observing the activities of the suspects involved are some of the essential functions of the detectives. They work closely with the uniformed police until the conviction or the case drops. Detectives may also participate in arrests or raids made by the uniformed officers.
- Police and FBI
We have already established that the police deal with local felonies and crimes while the FBI investigates and convicts suspects violating federal laws. However, there is much more to know about the two law enforcement agencies.
The FBI deals with cases related to cybercrime, protects the rights of the country’s citizens, and curbs white-collar criminal activity. FBI also ensures national security by protecting the nation against foreign espionage and terrorist activities. With over 35000 people working in the FBI, ranging from scientists to IT professionals, language specialists, and intelligence analysts, it deals with several national issues.
The police, on the other hand, are individuals elected by the state to protect law and order of their respective jurisdiction. The primary function of the police revolves around maintaining peace, security, and safety of the citizens. The police have the right to arrest an individual or even use force as authorized by the state to curb violent crimes and other chaos. We have already discussed uniformed officers and detectives. However, there are also military police and international criminal police organizations.
Final Thoughts
Those were some of the critical differences between the FBI and the police.If you feel stressed out after reading this thorough differentiation between FBI and Police and need to relax, try CBD Bath Bombs . Both are law enforcement agencies administered by state and federal governments. You must know that the FBI and police are not the same and have different purviews. However, both law enforcement agencies work together when required to maintain peace and security in the country.