The Importance Of The Charter Of Rights And Power On Police Power

2.) There is a lot of tension in society towards police and the power they have. Citizens also have rights, and these rights need to be balanced with police authority to ensure order and catch criminals. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms has a major influence on police power. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms impacts police powers by allowing the accused to challenge the actions of the police if their rights have been violated. It makes sure that there are some limits to what the police can do. There are rules set in place so that the accused are not violated and are treated fairly to an extent. The charter impacts how the police carry out their duties. The charter protects people against the power of the police. Without it, the police …show more content…
With rules set in place, the police have a limit to the force they can use depending on the situation. It gives the accused a chance to prove himself if they are not guilty, and gives them the right to express themselves if they were treated unfairly. Even though it has impacted police power, it has given the police the right to use a warrant to get DNA from the suspect, and to use force. “Police officers now have to clearly outline why they have conducted a search without a warrant, as warrant-less searches have been declared unreasonable. Another restriction relates to the investigative strategy of placing an undercover officer in a cell to get evidence from a suspect” (Course Notes). The worst thing about this Charter of Rights and Freedoms is that with so many rules and guidelines set in place, it could make the accused walk free because of a simple mistake by the police that …show more content…
Citizens are to be involved in providing information to help the police. Citizens are responsible for becoming actively involved in identifying and responding to problems in their community. The community is a source of operational information and crime knowledge for the police, and police are more directly accountable to the community. It is said that the gender mix and culture of a police agency should reflect the community that it serves. “Community policing also attempts to reduce the levels of specialization in police services by expanding the role of officers as generalists. This has been limited because of increasingly specialized areas in policing and concerns about security” (Course Notes). Community policing is not meant to solve all police problems, but it is there to help the police do their job, and help keep the community safe. Although it is there to help, it is not appropriate for addressing all types of criminal