Police

That species of superintendence by magistrates which has principally for its object the maintenance of public tranquillity among the citizens. The officers who are appointed for this purpose are also called the police. "Police is in general a system of precaution either for the prevention of crime or of calamities." Bentham. The due regulation and domestic order of the kingdom, whereby the individuals of the state, like members of a well-governed family, are bound to conform their general behavior to the rules of propriety. 4 Bl. Comm. 162. The word "police" has three significations. The first relates to the measures which are adopted to keep order, the laws and ordinances on cleanliness, health, the markets, etc. The second has for its object to procure to the authorities the means of detecting even the smallest attempts to commit crime, in order that the guilty may be arrested before their plans are carried into execution, and delivered over to the justice of the country. The third comprehends the laws, ordinances, and other measures which require the citizens to exercise their rights in a particular form._ Police has also been divided into "administrative police," which has for its object to maintain constantly public order in every part of the general administration; and "judiciary police," which is intended principally to prevent crimes by punishing the criminals. Its object is to punish crimes which the administrative police has not been able to prevent.

That species of superintendence by magistrates which has principally for its object the maintenance of public tranquillity among the citizens. The officers who are appointed for this purpose are also called the police. The word police has three significations. The first relates to the measures which are adopted to keep order, the laws and ordinances on cleanliness, health, the markets, etc. The second has for its object to procure to the authorities the means of detecting even the smallest attempts to commit crime, in order that the guilty may be arrested before their plans are carried into execution and delivered over to the justice of the country. The third comprehends the laws, ordinances, and other measures which require the citizens to exercise their rights in a particular form. Police has also been divided into administrative police, which has for its object to maintain constantly public order in every part of the general administration; and judiciary police, which is intended principally to prevent crimes by punishing the criminals. Its object is to punish crimes which Policemen have only statutory powers; Martin v. Houck, 141 N. C. 317, 54 S. E. 291, 7 L. R. A. (N. S. 576. See Bargar, Riot Law. See Pension.

Police is the function of that branch of the administrative machinery of government which is charged with the preservation of publlc order and tranquillity, the promotion of the publlc health, safety, and morals, and the prevention, detection, and punishment of crimes. See State v. Hine, 59 Conn. 50, 21 Atl. 1024, 10 In R. A. 83; Monet v. Jones, 10 Smedes & M. (Miss.) 247; People v. Squire, 107 N. Y. 593, 14 N. E. 820, 1 Am. St. Rep. 893; Logan v. State, 5 Tex. App. 314. The police of a state, in a comprehensive sense, embraces its whole system of internal regulation, by which the state seeks not only to preserve the public order and to prevent offenses against the state, but also to establish for the intercourse of citizen with citizen those rules of good manners and good neighborhood which are calculated to prevent a conflict of rights, and to insure to each the uninterrupted enjoyment of his own, so far as is reasonably consistent with a like enjoyment of rights by ethers. Cooley, Const. Lim. 572. It is defined by Jeremy Bentham in his works; "Police is in general a system of precaution, either for the prevention of crime or of calamities. Its business may be distributed into eight distinct branches:
(1) Police for the prevention of offenses ;
(2) police for the prevention of calamities;
(3) police for the prevention of epidemic diseases;
(4) police of charitjr;
(5) police of interior communications;
(6) police of public amusements;
(7) police for recent intelligence;
(8) police for registration." Canal Com'rs v. Willamette Transp. Co., 6 Or. 222.

— Police court. The name of a kind of inferior court in several of the states, which has a summary jurisdiction over minor offenses and misdemeanors of small consequence, and the powers of a committing magistrate in respect to more serious crimes, and, in some states, a limited jurisdiction for the trial of civil causes. In English law. Courts in which stipendiary magistrates, chosen from barristers of a certnin standing, sit for the dispatch of business. Their general duties and powers are the same as those of the unsaid magistracy, except that one of them may usually act in cases which would require to be heard before two other justices. Wharton.

— Police de ehargemeut. Fr. In French law. A bill of lading. Ord. Mar. liv. 3, tit. 2.

— Police jury, in Louisiana. the designation of the board of officers in a parish corresponding to the commissioners or supervisors of a county in other states.

— Police justice. A magistrate charged exclusively with the duties incident to the common-law office of a conservator or justice of the peace ; the prefix "police" serving merely to distinguish them from justices having also civil jurisdiction. Wenzler v. People, 58 N. Y. 530.

— Police magistrate. See Magistrate.

— Police officer. One of the staff of men employed in cities and towns to enforce the municipal police, i. e., the laws and ordinances for preserving the peace and good order of the community. Otherwise called "policeman."

— Police power. The power vested in a state to establish laws and ordinances for the regulation and enforcement of its police as above defined. The power vested in the legislafure to make, ordain, and establish nil manner of wholesome and reasonable laws, statutes, and ordinances, either with penalties or without, not repugnant to the constitution, as they shall judge to be for the good and welfare of the commonwealth, and of the subj'ects of the same. Com. v. Alger, 7 Cash. (Mass.) 85. The police power of the state is an authority conferred by the American constitutional system upon the individual slates, through which they are enabled to establish a special department of police; adopt such regulations as tend to prevent the commission of fraud, violence, or other offenses against the state ; aid in the arrest of criminals; and secure generally the comfort, health, and prosperity of the state, by preserving the public order, preventing a conflict of rights in the common intercourse of the citizens, and insuring to each an uninterrupted enjoyment of nil the privileges conferred upon him by the laws of his country. Lalor, Pol. Enc. s. v. It is true that the legislation which secures to nil protection in their rights, and the equal use and enjoyment of their property, embraces an almost infinite variety of subjects. Whatever affects the peace, good order, morals, and health of the community comes within its scope; and every one must use and enjoy his property subject to the restrictions which such legislation imposes. What is termed the "police power" of the state, which, from the language often used respecting it, one would suppose to be an undefined and irresponsible element in government, can only interfere with the conduct of individuals in their intercourse with each other, and in the use of their property, so far as may be required to secure these objects. Munn v. Illinois, 94 U. Sl 145, 24 L. Ed. 77. For other definitions, see Slaughterhouse Cases, 16 Wall. 62, 2i L. Ed. 394; Stone v. Mississippi, 107 IJ. S. 818, 25 L. Ed. 1079; Thorpe v. Rutland & B. R. Co., 27 Vt. 140, 62 Am. Dec. 625; People v. Steele, 231 111. 340, 83 N. E. 236, 14 In R. A. (N. S.) 361, 121 Am. St Rep. 321; Dreyfus v. Boone, 88 Ark. 353, 114 S. W. 718; Carpenter v. Reliance Realty Co., 103 Mo. App. 480,77 S. W. 1004; State v, Dalton, 22 R. I. 77, 46 Atl. 234, 48 L. It. A. 775, 84 Am. St Rep. 818; Deems v. Baltimore, 80 Md. 164, 30 Atl. 648, 26 L. In A. 541, 45 Am. St. Rep. 339; In re Clark, 65 Conn. 17, 31 Atl. 522, 28 L. R. A. 242; Mathews v. Board of Education, 127 Mich. 530, 86 N. W. 1036, 54 L. R. A. 736.

— Police regulations. Laws of a state, or ordinances of a municipality, which have for their object the preservation and protection of public peace and good order, and of the health, morals, and security of the people. State v. Greer, 78 Mo. 194; Ex parte Bourgeois, 60 Miss. 663, 45 Am. Rep. 420; Sonora v. Curtin, 137 Cal. 583, 70 Pac. 674; Roanoke Gas Co. v. Roanoke, 88 Va. 810, 14 S. B. 665.

— Police supervision. In England, subjection to police supervision is where a criminal offender is subjected to the obligation of notifying the place of his residence and every change of his residence to the chief officer of police of the district, and of reporting himself once a month to the chief officer or his substifute. Offenders subject to police supervision are popniarly called "habitual criminals." Sweet.

fr. hi French policy of insurance; ment: a bill of lading.

The preservation of domestic order, and civil regulation of inhabitants to enforce peace and quiet, and promote the public health and security. Police court. The name applied to an inferior court in several of the United States, the jurisdiction of which is wholly or chiefly criminal in its nature, and very limited in its extent. Police courts usually discharge merely the functions of justices of the peace in regard to offences of importance, and have power to try merely minor offences in a summary manner. A limited civil jurisdiction is sometimes entrusted to them. This name is the title of such courts in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York. Police jury. In Louisiana, is the designation of the board of officers in a parish corresponding to the commissioners or supervisors of a county in other states. Police-officer, or policeman. The designation of a member of the force employed within a municipality, in the civil enforcement of the laws for good order, peace, and quiet. That the term police-officer does not apply to a constable, see Commonwealth V. Smith, 111 Mass. 407. Police purposes. This phrase includes the construction of ditches, drains, and watercourses, which are demanded by, or are conducive to, the public health, convenience, or welfare. Sessions v. Crunkilton, 20 Ohio St. 349. Police regulations. Those laws and rules established by a state, city, town, &c., for the civil enforcement of peace and good order, and the promotion of health and security of life and property, constitutional grounds, if enacted for general or revenue purposes, are sometimes sustained to the extent to which they are necessary to a state as police regulations. Police supervision. It is provided by the prevention of crimes act, 1871, Stat. 34 & 35 Vict. ch. 112, that where a person is convicted on indictment of a crime, and a previous conviction of a crime is proved against him, the court may, in addition to any other punishment, direct that he be subject to the supervision of the police for a period not exceeding seven years, commencing immediately after the expiration of the sentence passed on him for the last of such crimes; and that any person, so subject to supervision as aforesaid, who shall remain in any place for forty-eight hours without notifying the place of his residence to the chief officer of police for the district, or who shall fail to comply with the requisitions of the act, in periodically reporting himself to such chief officer, shall, unless he can show that he did his best to act in conformity to the law, be liable to be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for any period not exceeding one year. (4 Steph. Com. 462, 458; Ohe Mag. Syn. 320; Cox Sr S. Cr. Law, 422.) Moz- Uy Sf W,