KS3 citizenship: the role of the police explained

The role of the police, explained

The police’s core job is to protect people and property, prevent and investigate crime, and keep the peace. In England and Wales the work is carried out by 43 local police forces, each covering its own area, alongside a few specialist forces. A great deal of day-to-day policing is not about crime at all: officers deal with missing people, road collisions, mental health emergencies and disputes between neighbours. The first modern police force in London was set up in 1829 on the idea that officers are ordinary citizens in uniform who work with the consent of the public, and “policing by consent” is still a phrase pupils meet.

The police have real powers, but each one comes with conditions set by Parliament. An officer can stop and search someone only if they have reasonable grounds to suspect, for example, that the person is carrying a weapon or stolen goods, with some tightly controlled exceptions. They can arrest someone only when they reasonably suspect an offence and arrest is necessary. A person held at a police station is entitled to free legal advice, and under-18s must have an appropriate adult with them. Most people can normally be held for up to 24 hours before being charged or released. Pupils discuss why limits like these exist: powers without limits would put everyone’s liberty at risk.

Another idea at the heart of this topic is that the police are one part of a larger system. Parliament makes the laws; the police enforce them. The police investigate and gather evidence, but they do not decide whether someone is guilty or what the punishment should be. For many minor offences the police can charge a suspect themselves, while for more serious ones the Crown Prosecution Service decides whether there is enough evidence to prosecute. Guilt is then decided in a court. The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10, and young people are treated differently from adults at every stage.

Pupils also look at accountability: who checks the people who check us? Officers must follow the law and their force’s standards. Members of the public can make complaints, serious complaints can be looked at by an independent body, and elected local officials oversee how forces are run. Most officers in England and Wales do not routinely carry firearms, which is often used as a starting point for discussing trust. Lessons commonly explore how stop and search is used, how fairly different communities feel they are treated, and what crime figures can and cannot tell us, since official statistics only count crimes that are recorded.

Citizenship teaching here is built on discussion rather than memorising a list. Schools organise it in different ways: separate lessons, part of PSHE, tutor time or special days with a visiting officer. Your child might analyse a case study, role-play a situation in which an officer must decide whether to arrest, or weigh up two newspaper reports about the same incident. The skills being practised are the ones the curriculum names: researching and questioning evidence, debating different viewpoints and presenting a reasoned argument.

Words your child will hear

Constable

The first rank of police officer. Every officer, whatever their rank, holds the office of constable and is personally responsible for using their powers lawfully.

Reasonable grounds

A genuine, fact-based reason for suspecting something, not just a hunch or a person’s appearance.

Arrest

Taking someone into custody because they are suspected of an offence.

Charge

A formal accusation that a person has committed a particular offence.

Prosecution

Bringing a criminal case to court, which in England and Wales is separate from the police investigation.

Policing by consent

The idea that the police rely on the support and cooperation of the public, not just on force.

Accountable

Having to explain your actions and accept checks on them.

What the National Curriculum says

The programme of study for Key Stage 3 says:

• Pupils should be taught about the nature of rules and laws and the justice system, including the role of the police and the operation of courts and tribunals
• Aim: pupils develop a sound knowledge and understanding of the role of law and the justice system in our society and how laws are shaped and enforced.

Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Try it: following a stolen-bike report

Common mistakes and how to help

How to help at home

• Discuss one real news story. Pick a recent report involving the police. Ask who made the law, who enforced it, who decides guilt, and what evidence the report actually gives. Compare two reports of the same event if you can.
• Explore why most officers are unarmed. Most police officers in England and Wales do not routinely carry firearms. Ask why that might be, what the benefits and risks are, and what your child thinks, with reasons.
• Talk through what to do if stopped. Practise staying calm, asking politely why you have been stopped, remembering what was said, and contacting a parent. Teenagers often find it reassuring to know what rights and expectations exist.
• Question the numbers. Look at a headline about crime rising or falling. Ask what is being counted and what might be missing, such as crimes that are never reported. This is the kind of evidence-checking the curriculum asks for.

Related topics

Everything in Key Stage 3 citizenship