Actually, no.
And
no:
The police have neither a legal duty nor responsibility to protect / prevent crime.
Unfortunately, i want out has it right. Police are there to investigate crime and help bring the guilty to justice. Prevention is optional - though of course most LEOs would do their best to stop a crime in progress, if they happened to be there.
Fair points PGG, but I'm going to have to take your word for this or look up the details. Do you have factual data aside from your quote?
They MAY not have legal duty, but they absolutely have RESPONSIBILTY to protect and prevent.
Police officers are also Peace Officers (at least most of them, I can think of one Federal Agency that is at least, I'm sure most are.) Here are a few examples of prevention/protection that are part of Police Officers' mandate. Do you agree with this, or just feel that these are not legally obligated?
Also, are you saying that Police Officers have no legal obligation to prevent a crime when they KNOW one is happening or imminent? Do you find this as a matter of investigation or prevention/protection?
As both peace officers and police officers, they offer
1) Crime prevention patrols (local cops). This is part of their mandate.
Here's a grab from the NYS SWAT website:
"The New York State Police is a full service police agency, providing essential police services on a statewide basis.
Through the Uniformed Force and Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Division of New York State Police maintains regular preventive patrols, assists motorists and other members of the public, conducts criminal and non-criminal investigations, and provides emergency and disaster services."
2) Hostage rescue. Would you find this an act of investigation or protection?
3) With good samaritan laws in certain states, do you think a police officer in that state is not legally obligated to protect someone?
4) Citizen education. This is vast, wide-reaching modality of many local and other agencies. Is this investigation, prevention or protection to you?
5) And this is big picture, and not, maybe, what you are going for here, but over all, police officers protect through their actions at large. When an officer arrests a drunk who has threatened to harm someone
6) Secret Service is special, they have a protective force, as do other agencies. Colombian hookers aside.
The fact that, on the books, police are not required to protect the citizenry is moot. How could a fraction of the population be legally required to do so, thus, the law surely allows them the ability not to protect every citizen. But in many circumstances, like an active crime in their presence, I'm certain I can find law that requires their actions to prevent a crime (and thus protect a victim). Everything they do, in essence, is to protect us: arrest the bad guys, put away the really bad guys, slow down people who are driving 140MPH, protect our G leaders, cuff drunken dopes, LAPD puts it the best:
But to be sure, law makers have made their role investigative on the books, citizens, ultimately must be responsible for their own safety. Everyone knows who to call when they need "help"...
D712