essay on police service

Essay On Police

500 words essay on police.

In this world, we must have laws to maintain peace. Thus, every citizen must follow these laws. However, there are some people in our society who do not follow them and break the laws . In order to keep a check on such kinds of people, we need the police. Through essay on police, we will learn about the role and importance of police.

Importance of Police

The police are entrusted with the duty of maintaining the peace and harmony of a society. Moreover, they also have the right to arrest and control people who do not follow the law. As a result, they are important as they protect our society.

Enforcing the laws of the land, the police also has the right to punish people who do not obey the law. Consequently, we, as citizens, feel safe and do not worry much about our lives and property.

In other words, the police is a saviour of the society which makes the running of society quite smooth. Generally, the police force has sound health. They wear a uniform and carry a weapon, whether a rifle or pistol . They also wear a belt which holds their weapons.

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Role of Police

The police play many roles at police stations or check posts. They get a posting in the town or city depending on the crime rate in the area. When public demonstrations and strikes arise, the police plays a decisive role.

Similarly, when they witness the crowd turning violent during protests or public gatherings, it is their responsibility to prevent it from becoming something bigger. Sometimes, they also have to make use of the Lathi (stick) for the same reason.

If things get worse, they also resort to firing only after getting permission from their superiors. In addition, the police also offer special protection to political leaders and VIPs. The common man can also avail this protection in special circumstances.

Thus, you see how the police are always on duty round the clock. No matter what day or festival or holiday, they are always on duty. It is a tough role to play but they play it well. To protect the law is not an easy thing to do.

Similarly, it is difficult to maintain peace but the police manage to do it. Even on cold winter nights or hot summer afternoons, the police is always on duty. Even during the pandemic, the police was on duty.

Thus, they keep an eye on anti-social activities and prevent them at large. Acting as the protector of the weak and poor, the police play an essential role in the smooth functioning of society.

Conclusion of Essay On Police

Thus, the job of the police is very long and tough. Moreover, it also comes with a lot of responsibility as we look up to them for protection. Being the real guardian of the civil society of a nation, it is essential that they perform their duty well.

FAQ on Essay On Police

Question 1: What is the role of police in our life?

Answer 1: The police performs the duties which the law has assigned to them. They are entrusted to protect the public against violence, crime and other harmful acts. As a result, the police must act by following the law to ensure that they respect it and apply it in a manner which matches their level of responsibility.

Question 2: Why do we need police?

Answer 2: Police are important for us and we need it. They protect life and property, enforce criminal law, criminal investigations, regulate traffic, crowd control, public safety duties, search for missing persons, lost property and other duties which concern the public order.-*//**9666666666666666666666+9*63*

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What Police Are For: A Look Into Role Of The Police In Modern Society

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Barry Friedman, the director of New York University's Policing Project, about the role of the police in modern society.

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

What are police really for in this country? What role do we expect them to play in our society? How do we expect them to do it? How do we measure if a police department is successful? Questions being debated across our country right now and questions we are going to put next to Barry Friedman. He's director of the Policing Project at New York University Law School.

Barry Friedman, welcome.

BARRY FRIEDMAN: Good to be here.

KELLY: Let's start there in America. What are the police for? It's such a simple question and yet such a complicated one.

FRIEDMAN: Very complicated. The answer is pretty much everything. What we've done in this country is adopted a one-size-fits-all way of dealing with any social problem that hits the streets. And we send basically armed people to deal with it.

KELLY: Do we ask too much of the police, throw them into situations they are not trained to handle, not equipped to handle?

FRIEDMAN: Many of them. You know, a raft of social problems from substance abuse, homelessness, mental illness, but even things like perhaps, you know, something obvious like taking a report after a traffic accident. There's just this huge range of things we ask police to do that, in many ways, are unsuited to their primary training as force - users of force and the law.

KELLY: All right. So how do we measure if they are successful? How do we measure the success of a police department? Are there agreed-upon metrics?

FRIEDMAN: The country is adrift on this very question right now. You know, I would've told you if you'd asked me 10 years ago that we were measuring enforcement actions, stops, frisks, arrests - and we've realized that that has a deleterious effect, though those things are still measured in some places. But then when you take that away and ask, you know, what should you measure? People are at a bit of a loss.

KELLY: What do you think we should be measuring for trying to look at a police department and ask, how are they doing?

FRIEDMAN: So I'll tell you sort of a interesting story in this regard. We run a project on the ground in Chicago trying to improve police community relations. And we were debating this entire question with members of the community. And people talked about waves, like how many - how often do people wave at the police or how often did the police wave back? So we're looking for some kind of measure about positive interactions, about working with the community to solve problems, attending community meetings, the things that would integrate them more into the community and solve the community's real issues instead of enforcing against the community.

KELLY: Does spending more money buy you a better police force?

FRIEDMAN: So that's a terrific question. There's a tiny bit of scholarship that suggests that if you spend too little money, you get into trouble, that a strained police force is a dangerous police force. But there's very little evidence that we have that you get better policing with more money.

KELLY: Does it buy a safer community? Can we measure that?

FRIEDMAN: So it's even difficult to measure safe communities. We can measure crime, though the crime statistics are notoriously unreliable. There's a new app that some police departments are using called Elucide (ph) that does an ongoing measure of community trust in the police or their feeling of safety in the neighborhood. And those are good measures, though hard to get a handle on. You know, I feel like I'm abandoning you all the way along the way, but this is representative of where we stand right now.

KELLY: I'm listening to you, and it sounds like we don't really know if the money that we are spending on policing as a country is being used effectively. And we don't really even have agreement on what the police are for. Those seem like two awfully huge open questions to have out there as we as a country consider what the role of police should be.

FRIEDMAN: I personally find it mind-boggling. And I've worked in this space for a long time. I think we need to have a very serious conversation in this country about what we mean by public safety and public safety for everybody, and then ask whether the police or the right folks to be achieving that in every instance. And as much as we are hearing from an angry street right now asking those sorts of questions, the thing I'll tell you is the police will not fight with those questions, either. They too would tell you they're being asked to do too many things and pushed into too many situations for which they are not apt.

KELLY: How much of this do you think is on police and the people running police forces, and how much is on the legislators and other people overseeing these departments?

FRIEDMAN: It is on us. We have completely failed to regulate the police in every area of government. We adopt rules and procedures and policies with democratic input and transparency. And then we have a set of metrics for those. And the police, we've basically said, keep the peace. Solve crime. Go forth and do it any way that you want. And there's just this vacuum of regulation that is absolutely stunning.

KELLY: Are you optimistic that things will get better?

FRIEDMAN: I wouldn't do the work that I did if I didn't manage to find optimism every day. But it's been a very depressing time at present. And all I can hope, as I think many people hope, is that we take this moment and make it really a moment where we start to turn the corner and do some hard work.

KELLY: Barry Friedman, thank you.

FRIEDMAN: My pleasure.

KELLY: He's professor of law and director of The Policing Project at NYU Law, also author of the book "Unwarranted: Policing Without Permission."

Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Essay on Police

Students are often asked to write an essay on Police in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Police

The role of police.

Police are crucial for maintaining law and order. They protect us from harm, enforce laws, and assist during emergencies. Their duties include patrolling areas, responding to calls, and arresting criminals.

Training and Skills

Becoming a police officer requires rigorous training. They learn important skills like problem-solving, communication, and physical fitness. This training prepares them to handle various situations effectively.

Challenges and Responsibilities

Policing is a challenging job. Officers often work in stressful conditions and face danger. Despite these challenges, they are responsible for ensuring public safety and peace.

Respect and Cooperation

We should respect and cooperate with the police. They are there to help us, and our support makes their job easier.

Also check:

• Speech on Police

250 Words Essay on Police

Introduction.

The police force is a critical institution in any society, serving as the primary law enforcement agency. They are the custodians of law and order, tasked with ensuring peace and security, and safeguarding the rights and freedoms of citizens.

The police’s primary duty is to prevent and detect crime, maintain public order, and ensure the safety and security of citizens. They are the first responders in emergencies, providing immediate assistance and support. The police also play a vital role in the criminal justice system, conducting investigations, gathering evidence, and assisting in the prosecution of offenders.

Challenges Faced by the Police

Despite their crucial role, police forces worldwide face numerous challenges. These include inadequate resources, corruption, public mistrust, and the psychological stress associated with their work. The police are often under immense pressure to perform their duties effectively, which can lead to burnout and mental health issues.

Police and Society

The relationship between the police and the society they serve is complex. While they are respected and appreciated for their service, instances of police brutality and racial profiling have led to public outcry and demands for police reform. It is important for police forces to build trust and maintain open communication with the communities they serve.

In conclusion, the police play a fundamental role in maintaining law and order, despite the numerous challenges they face. It is vital to address these challenges and ensure the police can effectively perform their duties, thereby fostering a safe and secure society.

500 Words Essay on Police

The police force is an integral part of any society, responsible for maintaining law and order, protecting citizens, and ensuring justice is served. Their role is multifaceted, encompassing crime prevention, investigation, and enforcement of laws. Despite their significant role, the police force’s function and public perception vary considerably across different societies and historical periods.

The Role and Responsibilities of the Police

The primary role of the police is to prevent crime. They achieve this through visible patrols that deter potential criminals, intelligence gathering to identify potential threats, and community engagement to foster trust and cooperation. They also enforce laws, responding to incidents of crime, apprehending suspects, and collecting evidence.

In addition, police are responsible for maintaining public order, which includes managing public gatherings, protests, and events to ensure they remain peaceful. They also play a crucial role in crisis situations, providing immediate response to emergencies like accidents, fires, or natural disasters.

Police Accountability and Public Perception

Police accountability is a critical aspect of a democratic society. It ensures that police actions are transparent and subject to scrutiny, thereby preventing abuses of power and promoting public trust. However, the perception of the police varies significantly across different societies and communities. Factors such as racial bias, use of force, and corruption can significantly impact public trust in the police.

Police and Social Justice

In recent years, the role of the police in social justice has come under intense scrutiny. The police are often at the forefront of societal tensions, such as racial disparities and income inequality. Some argue that the police, as an institution, often reflect and exacerbate these societal issues. This has led to calls for police reform, with suggestions ranging from implicit bias training to the more radical idea of defunding the police.

Police in the Digital Age

The advent of digital technology has significantly impacted policing. On one hand, it has provided new tools for crime prevention and investigation, such as predictive policing and digital forensics. On the other hand, it has also presented new challenges, such as cybercrime, that require specialized skills and knowledge.

The police force plays a critical role in maintaining societal order and safety. However, their role is complex and often fraught with controversy. As societies evolve, so too must our understanding and expectations of the police. Ensuring that the police are accountable, fair, and effective requires a nuanced understanding of their role, continuous scrutiny, and a willingness to reform and adapt.

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• Managing Police Service in the Community

Managing Police Service in the Community - Essay Example

• Subject: Social science
• Type: Essay
• Level: High School
• Pages: 9 (2250 words)
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Discipline as an Integral Part of Effective Police Supervision Essay

Introduction, fostering discipline in the police force.

The police department, as faction of the judiciary and law enforcer, cannot be allowed to be tainted with traces of indiscipline. It is a ridicule and an outright insult to the judicial system in its totality. The duty to ensure that unbecoming behavior and unacceptable professional conduct does not gain ground in the police force is bestowed on the police supervisor.

For the effective role of supervisor to be fully realized, the individual supervisor cannot overlook the importance of a disciplined force. Without discipline, the supervisor will have failed as an individual and failed the whole institution as well. This essay looks into the maintenance of discipline among the police as an integral part of effective police supervision.

Supervisors as disciplinarians

The ability to maintain discipline among the subordinates is one way of measuring the suitability of a supervisor for the role. The sergeant is the most important party in the police force, and his position the most challenging one. “It is the sergeant…who plays the pivotal role and, in large measure determines whether the police department will face unfair labor practice charges, costly arbitrations, lengthy litigation, and more union activism,” (More & Miller 2007, P.314).

The police are the point of connection between law enforcers and the society. They have been given discretion to deal with matters concerning the public such as determining when to arrest a suspect or when to shoot. “The powers that police hold and exercise…if improperly used, reduce public confidence in police, decrease respect for the law, and increase fear amongst a community, thus destabilizing it,” (Office of Police Integrity 2007, P. 18).

When a supervisor sleeps on his work as the disciplinarian organ of the institution the result is; “lower quality of service provided by a given department and undermine the integrity of the entire profession,” (More & Miller 2007, P. 316). Further, “poor supervision and the lack of effective disciplinary mechanisms allow ‘loose cannons’ who are in positions of power to abuse that power,” (More & Miller 2007, P. 317).

Being the one who has the most contact with the subordinates, he can use that advantageous position to create a police force whose professional standards are not tainted with unethical issues.

The discipline could be constructive or punitive. Constructive refers to disciplinary measures geared to create internal discipline of an officer while punitive comes way after the employee has been found to have committed an indiscretion and is intended to make him not repeat the act, and should only be used when all other alternatives are depleted.

Good disciplinary measures

Sergeants, when they notice indiscipline, should not wait until the situation gets out of hand. They should take corrective measures with immediate effect. “Failure to act promptly and decisively tends to perpetuate the problem and sets the stage for more debilitating interpersonal conflict,” (More & Miller 2007, P. 301).

It makes other subordinates believe that the disciplinary measure laid down by the organization are merely for formalism purposes and are not really applicable. Further, they show that the supervisor is in control and has the authority over the subordinates yielding respect from them.

The disciplining should also be firm and fair and must be seen to be applied indiscriminately and equitably. “A great sergeant establishes a sense of equity. This doe’s not mean people are always treated equally, just always fairly,” (Werder, 1996).

They should not be in violation of any written law or accepted rules of procedure and the subordinate must be able to understand his reasons of being disciplined. The root of the indiscipline and motive of performing the act must be established through enough evidence and the errant subordinate must be given a chance to be heard and explain his case.

Further, other less serious disciplinarian measures such as formal reprimands or arbitration should be tried out before the supervisor can jump to the more serious ones such as demotion or discharge. The measure adopted should be reasonable and not excessive taking into consideration the circumstances of the particular case.

The disciplinary measure should be less bureaucratic and filled with many formalities. A research currently conducted showed that “amongst the significant defects with the current discipline system, are the numerous, inconsistent, excessively formal and slow review and appeal processes available,” (Office of Police Integrity 2007, P. 14)

The employees should be properly informed of the unacceptable form of behavior to avoid a situation where the employee was unaware of the existence of the offence in the first place. “Once, the subordinate knows the rules he knows what to expect in case of failure to follow the disciplinary code,” (Shimansky 2006).

The discipline measures adopted must have just two objectives i.e., to act as a future deterrence both to the deviant subordinate and to the others or to change the specific individual and ensure he is reformed.

Any other objective of the supervisor such as to muster control of the subordinate or to settle some old scores, will be inappropriate and an abuse of power. The supervisor must at all time guard himself against making an emotional decision on discipline matters. They must remain in total control of the situation without having to be accommodative of subordinate’s improper behavior.

As much as supervisors are mandated to maintain discipline, they should not take to themselves the habit of nosing around the private business of the subordinates. All their actions should be confined to circumstances within the formal business of the organization. What the subordinate does outside the employment circle should be a no go zone for the supervisor.

The most effective manner of maintaining discipline is by outlining some procedures and principles, uniform to the whole organization, that every individual has to adhere to. The rules must also prescribe the right punitive measures to be undertaken in case of the subordinates defying such rules.

This makes the system a lot more formal and will yield respect from subjects. It will also ensure uniformity and avoid situations where the subordinate feels unfairly handled. They must, accordingly be communicated to all the subjects in a manner to obtain acceptance from them. Rules which are not generally accepted by the subjects often result into a situation of chaos and unresolved conflicts.

Positive discipline

These are measures taken by the supervisor long before any indiscipline has been detected. they are more of preventive measures as opposed to curative. They are aimed at securing the officers loyalty to the principles and procedures and get them to adhere to such policies willingly, without being sanctioned.

The subordinates are driven by “the human tendency to do what needs to be done, to do what is right in a given situation, and to voluntarily comply with the reasonable standards of performance and conduct that apply to all members of the workforce,” (More & Miller 2007,P. 291).

The supervisor has the duty of ensuring that create this kind of dedication from the subordinates. They develop self-discipline where the subordinate decide to give their all to the better performance of the whole institution for which they work for. Here, the supervisor simply acts as role model to be emulated.

They take a personal decision to motivate the subordinates through recognition and rewards. They create an environmental that is necessary for the growth of such a self-driven employee. A supervisor who has acquired skills and expertise to achieve this is a quality staff to the institution.

Discipline in the police force is one of the most important things and the topic should be handled with care. Lack of discipline in the force means that the indiscipline is extended to the society in general since a person who is undisciplined himself cannot function to the right standards.

But as much as we delve in punitive discipline institutions should realize that the most important discipline is the positive discipline. When subordinates are internally disciplined, the effects will be long lasting as opposed to corrective discipline which is administered after some malpractice has already happened. Police supervisors should seek to adopt methods of according positive discipline if they want to be effective in the role in the long run.

More, H and Miller, L. (2007). Effective Police Supervision: Coaching, Counseling and mentoring , 5th Ed, Chapter 11-13, copyright Mathew Bender and Company, Inc, a member of the LexisNexis Group

Office of Police Integrity. (2007). A fair and Effective Victoria Police Discipline System , Victorian Government Printer, session 2006-2007, P.P No. 3

Shimansky.B. (2006). Discipline as an integral Part of Effective Supervision, retrieved from web.

Werder, E.J. (1996). The Great Sergeant! Personal Qualities of a Great Sergeant, National Executive Institute Associates, Major Cities Chief’s Association and Major County Sheriff’s Association.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Police Officer — Qualities of a Good Police Officer

Qualities of a Good Police Officer

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Trump attends wake of slain New York officer, calls for ‘law and order,’ to show contrast with Biden

Donald Trump attended the wake of a New York City police officer killed in the line of duty and called for “law and order,” as part of his attempt to show a contrast with President Joe Biden and focus on crime as part of his third White House campaign.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference after attending the wake of New York City police officer Jonathan Diller, Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. Diller was shot and killed Monday during a traffic stop, the city’s mayor said. It marked the first slaying of an NYPD officer in two years. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Former President Donald Trump listens during a news conference after attending the wake of New York City police officer Jonathan Diller, Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. Diller was shot and killed Monday during a traffic stop, the city’s mayor said. It marked the first slaying of an NYPD officer in two years. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York City Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban, left, shakes hands with Former President Donald Trump as he arrives for the wake of New York City police officer Jonathan Diller, Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. Diller was shot and killed Monday during a traffic stop, the city’s mayor said. It marked the first slaying of an NYPD officer in two years. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Donald Trump attended Thursday’s wake of a New York City police officer gunned down in the line of duty and called for “law and order,” as part of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s attempt to show a contrast with President Joe Biden and focus on crime as part of his third White House campaign.

The visitation for Officer Jonathan Diller, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Monday, was held in suburban Massapequa on Long Island. Police said the 31-year-old Diller was shot below his bulletproof vest while approaching an illegally parked car in Queens.

Diller, who was married and had a 1-year-old son, was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

Trump’s visit came as Biden was also in New York for a previously scheduled fundraiser with Democratic ex-presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Trump has accused Biden of lacking toughness and his campaign sought to contrast his visit with Biden’s fundraiser.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, noted Trump’s visit and said, “Meanwhile, the Three Stooges — Biden, Obama, and Clinton — will be at a glitzy fundraiser in the city with their elitist, out-of-touch celebrity benefactors.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that the president has spoken with New York City’s mayor, but she said she didn’t have any “private communications to share” when asked if Biden had spoken to the family of the officer who was killed. Jean-Pierre said the administration’s hearts go out to the officer’s family.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, she said Biden has supported law enforcement throughout his entire career and took a dig at Trump’s record. “Violent crime surged under the previous administration,” Jean-Pierre said. “The Biden-Harris administration have done the polar opposite, taking decisive action from the very beginning to fund the police and achieving a historic reduction in crime.”

After visiting in the funeral home with Diller’s family, Trump spoke outside to news reporters with about a dozen local police officers, half in patrol uniforms, half in tactical gear, forming as a backdrop behind him. One officer standing in front held his rifle across his chest.

Trump called Diller’s killing “such a sad, sad event, such a horrible thing.”

“The police are the greatest people we have. There’s nothing and there’s nobody like them. And this should never happen,” Trump said.

He spoke about Diller’s wife and young son, saying he “doesn’t know how his life has been changed.”

“We have to get back to law and order. We have to do a lot of things differently. This is not working. This is happening too often,” Trump said.

After his brief remarks, he repeated himself as he walked away toward his motorcade and added: “We’ve got to toughen it up.”

He did not elaborate.

Trump has deplored crime in heavily Democratic cities, called for shoplifters to be shot immediately and wants to immunize police officers from lawsuits for potential misconduct. But he’s also demonized local prosecutors, the FBI and the Department of Justice over the criminal prosecutions he faces and the investigation while he was president into his first campaign’s interactions with Russia .

He has also embraced those imprisoned for their roles on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, when a mob of his angry supporters overran police lines and Capitol and local police officers were attacked and beaten.

Massapequa and the surrounding South Shore towns have long been a popular destination for city police officers and firefighters looking to set down roots on Long Island. The road leading to the funeral home was painted with a thin blue line, a symbol used as a sign of police solidarity, and the road was flanked by American flags and American flags with a thin blue line.

Parked nearby were two pickup trucks with pro-Trump decals and flags bearing his “Make America Great Again” slogan. Dozens of supporters wearing Trump paraphernalia stood nearby in pouring rain.

Though Democrats outnumber Republicans in New York, this area is a heavily Republican part of Long Island that Trump won in the 2020 presidential election.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, accompanied Trump and told reporters it was “a tremendous comfort to the family” to have Trump visit.

Inside the funeral home, Trump spent more than 10 minutes meeting privately with Diller’s wife, Stephanie, before joining her in the main viewing room and saying a prayer over the officer’s casket, Blakeman said later.

Trump then met with the rest of the family, giving his condolences to Diller’s mother, siblings, aunts and uncles, he said. Diller’s grandmother asked the former president for a hug and the family also asked him to write a note on a mass card.

“It was a really good, warm conversation,” Blakeman said. “It was all talking about Jon and what kind of person he was as a father, son, husband. It was not about public policy or anything like that.”

The former president and his supporters sought a similar split screen with Biden earlier this month as they went after the president over crime and illegal immigration while both were campaigning in Georgia. Trump during his visit to the state met with the family of slain nursing student Laken Riley . An immigrant from Venezuela who entered the U.S. illegally is charged with her death.

Trump posted about Diller’s death on his social media network Tuesday, offering prayers to Diller’s family and appreciation for law enforcement. He also called the shooter a “thug” and noted that police said the shooter had numerous prior arrests, declaring that he “NEVER should have been let back out on the streets.”

On Thursday, prosecutors in Queens charged the alleged shooter, Guy Rivera, with first degree murder and other charges. Rivera, who was shot in the back when Diller’s partner returned fire, was arraigned from his hospital bed. Rivera’s lawyers at Legal Aid declined to comment, according to spokesman Redmond Haskins.

Diller was the first New York City police officer killed in the line of duty in two years.

The previous line-of-duty deaths were the fatal shootings of two New York City police officers, and the day after the second funeral, Biden visited the police department’s headquarters and spoke to officers and top brass.

Biden has pledged that the federal government will work more closely with police to combat gun violence and crack down on illegal guns.

New FBI statistics related earlier this month showed that overall violent crime in the U.S. dropped again last year, continuing a downward trend after a pandemic-era spike. The FBI data found murders dropped 13% in the last three months of 2023 compared with the same period the year before, and violent crime overall was down 6%.

The FBI’s report was in line with the findings of the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice, which found that homicides were down an average of 10% from the year before in a survey of 32 cities, though it found violent crime still remained higher than before the coronavirus pandemic in many cities.

Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Colleen Long aboard Air Force One and Karen Matthews in New York City contributed to this report.

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Septic Installer Is Sentenced to 7 Years for Urging Jan. 6 Mob With Megaphone

Taylor James Johnatakis, 40, coordinated rioters to rush a police barricade at the Southwest stairs to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

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By Emily Schmall

A Washington State man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, where prosecutors said he used a megaphone to urge other rioters to barge through a police line.

The man, Taylor James Johnatakis, 40, of Kingston, Wash., was sentenced Wednesday after being convicted last fall of three felony charges — obstruction of an official proceeding, interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting law enforcement — and four misdemeanor charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia .

Before Jan. 6, Mr. Johnatakis posted numerous messages on social media expressing his desire to interfere with the election certification process at the Capitol. “That’s why I am going to D.C., to CHANGE the course of HISTORY #stopthesteal,” he wrote in one post, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Wearing a red MAGA hat and backpack and carrying a megaphone, Mr. Johnatakis led a group of people up to a police line on the Capitol’s Southwest stairs on Jan. 6, urging rioters to “push them out of here,” according to a court filing .

Officer body camera footage showed Mr. Johnatakis lifting a metal barricade and pushing it into officers as he led a countdown over his megaphone, “One, two, three, go!”

Other footage showed Mr. Johnatakis grabbing an officer’s arm.

Marc D’Avignon, an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, testified at Mr. Johnatakis’s trial that the confrontation on the Southwest stairs had been “frightening.”

“I thought they were going to come through,” Mr. D’Avignon said. “I thought we were going to be trampled. I thought we were going to be hurt. I thought we were going to die.”

After the police secured a perimeter around the Capitol in the evening on Jan. 6, Mr. Johnatakis recorded videos of himself walking away and posted them on social media.

“I was on the front line,” he said in one, according to court records. “I was on the gate. I organized a push up to the Capitol because I felt like that is exactly what we needed.”

Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Mr. Johnatakis, a self-employed septic systems installer, to nine years in prison — longer than federal sentencing guidelines — arguing that he played an outsize role in the riot.

“Johnatakis was not just any rioter,” prosecutors said. “He led, organized and encouraged the assault of officers at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.”

Ahead of the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth received about 20 letters from friends and family of Mr. Johnatakis, attesting to his good character, according to notes that accompanied the sentence .

Like several other Jan. 6 defendants, Mr. Johnatakis represented himself at trial. Though he expressed contrition in the courtroom, Judge Lamberth said, he had taken a different tone in speeches, letters and podcast interviews from the District of Columbia Jail, where he has been held since he was convicted in a jury trial last November.

“He changes his story depending on the audience,” Judge Lamberth said, adding that “there can be no room in our country for this sort of political violence.”

Marie Johnatakis, Mr. Johnatakis’s wife, said in a phone interview from Washington, D.C., on Thursday that the court case had forced “quite a transition” for the couple and their five children.

“He’s actually a really good person,” Ms. Johnatakis, who has been journaling about the experience on a personal website, said of her husband.

“As a nation we’ve been super divided, and we see people as good and bad,” she said, adding that “it’s just so important that we see people as humans.”

Mr. Johnatakis is one of more than 1,350 people who have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, in which angry demonstrators, urged on by President Donald J. Trump’s lies about the 2020 election being stolen, attempted to halt the certification of the results. Federal prosecutors have described the ongoing criminal investigation into the events of that day as the largest in the history of the Justice Department.

Mr. Trump was indicted last August on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election.

A March trial date was canceled after an appeal from Mr. Trump argued that he was immune from prosecution for official acts taken in the White House. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in that case later this month.

Emily Schmall is a correspondent for The Times. More about Emily Schmall

Our Coverage of the Capitol Riot and its Fallout

T he Events on Jan. 6

Timeline:  On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump raided the U.S. Capitol . Here is a close look at how the attack unfolded .

A Day of Rage:  Using thousands of videos and police radio communications, a New York Times investigation reconstructed in detail what happened — and why .

Lost Lives: A bipartisan Senate report found that at least seven people died  in connection with the attack.

Jan. 6 Attendees:  To many of those who attended the Trump rally but never breached the Capitol, Jan. 6 wasn’t a dark day for the nation. It was a new start .

The Federal Case Against Trump

The Indictment:  Trump was indicted on Aug. 1  after a sprawling federal investigation into his attempts to cling to power  after losing the 2020 election. Here is how the indictment was structured .

Trump’s Immunity Claim:  The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Trump is immune from prosecution  on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. The justices scheduled arguments for the week of April 22 .

The Trial:  In February, the federal judge in the case decided to delay the trial , which was set to start on March 4. In doing so, she acknowledged that time had run out to get the proceeding going, mostly because of the wrangling over Trump’s immunity claim .

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News release, 2024 credit union cherry blossom 10 mile race road closures.

Date: April 4, 2024 Contact: Sergeant Thomas Twiname , 202-619-7266

On, Sunday, April 7, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race will take place in the District of Columbia. In conjunction with this event, there will be street closures that motorists should take into consideration. The following streets will be closed to traffic on Sunday, April 7, from approximately 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.:  

• Memorial Bridge
• Memorial Circle
• Rock Creek Parkway South of Virginia Avenue
• Ohio Drive from 23rd Street to Inlet Bridge
• West Basin Drive
• East Basin Drive
• East Potomac Park
• West Potomac Park
• Hains Point
• 15th Street from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue
• 17th Street from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue
• Independence Ave from 14th Street to 23rd Street
• Jefferson Drive from 14th to 15th Street
• Madison Drive from 14th to 15th Street
• Raoul Wallenberg Place
• Maine Avenue from 395/695 to East Basin Drive

Last updated: April 4, 2024