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As an example, police departments in the US are decentralized, in that there's no overarching police authority in the US; there are local police departments, va
by manv1 4y ago
As an example, police departments in the US are decentralized, in that there's no overarching police authority in the US; there are local police departments, various state-level police departments, and various federal departments.
The state police doesn't really have oversight over the local departments. In fact, I don't think anyone really has oversight of local police departments except possibly for local voters.
They are all bound by the various laws, but within those laws they have tremendous amounts of flexibility.
It's in their self-interest to cooperate, but they don't have to cooperate if they don't want to.
- LeanderK 4y agoI do not live in the US, but your comment is not meant to be positive, right? > In fact, I don't think anyone really has oversight of local police departments except possibly for local voters. this does not feel right at all, especially with all I read about the problems with the police and the lack of accountability of the actions of individual police officers. I do not feel confident in directly overseeing something as complicated as a police force. What do you do if you feel the handling of your police force is inadequate?
- xyzelement 4y agoI am American and interpreted his comment as positive. I live in a small town, with a handful of police officers, and their boss (the commissioner) is elected by me and my neighbors. There's no greater accountability than that!