The National Police Force

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I have worked with most of the federal agencies at one time or another and for the most part the individual agents were great. Dedicated professionals working hard to solve the cases. I always appreciated the resources they could bring to a case.

But the moment I had to deal with one of the “Guys in Charge” things tended to take a turn for the worst. The higher up the administrative ladder you went the ideas and goals of what you were all trying to accomplish would change very quickly.

The biggest problem is that the needs, desires, and decisions made in Washington DC do not necessarily coincide with the issues on the ground in Iowa. But that hasn’t stopped a historical push for a National Police Force and let me explain why that is NOT a good idea.

So, what is a national police force. A national police force is an organization run by the central government of a country with the purpose of providing police services such as enforcing the laws and ensuring health and safety to the people of that country. We’ve got King Louie the 14th to thank for that. In 1667 he created the first national police force in France. Since then, we have seen National Police Forces in many countries around the world. Today national police forces are common in places like France, Japan, Spain, Indonesia, the Netherlands, the Philippians, and dozens of other small countries. We also see variations on the National Police Model with Territorial Police in the United Kingdom and Canada.

Since it is so common it must be a good idea. And, when you take it at face value there does seem to be benefits from the concept. First, you get a force that is nationally funded. The deep pockets at the national level would far outweigh any small towns budgets so the national force should have all of the necessary resources. Secondly you get to control hiring and training. This way you could ensure that all of the officers are trained and ready to do their jobs. Lastly this central organization would be more efficient, and you wouldn’t have to worry about duplication of efforts. All in all, a good move, right?

Wrong?

At least for the U.S.