# What is the ultimate goal of the police, FBI, Interpol etc? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 11, 2008, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873 "2008-04-11T11:14:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/1 "2008-04-11T11:14:14Z")
Is their objective just to reduce crime? Does any organisation have a goal of wiping out organised crime? I would be interested in what these organisations really have as stated goals. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/2 "2008-04-11T11:52:50Z")
If you are talking about the ‘ultimate’ goal, I’m guessing that it is to eradicate crime entirely. If you are focussing on _realistic_ goals, then I doubt you’d get an answer from a senior copper because anything under the ultimate would be considered shortchanging the objectives etc etc ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/3 "2008-04-11T14:25:32Z")
I’m also interested in any stated goals that various police agencies may have. When I first learned the US Army’s stated mission was “To prevent war and, if necessary, win in combat”, I was underwhelmed. But it seems that it _can_ be interpreted to describe all that the Army does if you stretch it a bit. Law enforcement, on the other hand, seems to hinge on something narrower than “reducing crime”, or even “justice”, especially since much of the responsibility of achieving that goal would fall on the legislative and judicial branches of the local governments. Maybe something like “deter crime and, if necessary, bring suspects before a trial to be judged”? I don’t know where parking tickets would fit into this though. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/4 "2008-04-11T14:29:00Z")
Police motto to protect and to serve. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/5 "2008-04-11T14:37:29Z")
From the FBI’s website: > [@](#): > > Our Mission > To protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners. > > Our Priorities > In executing the following priorities, we will produce and use intelligence to protect the nation from threats and to bring to justice those who violate the law. > > 1. Protect the United States from terrorist attack > 2. Protect the United States against foreign intelligence operations and espionage > 3. Protect the United States against cyber-based attacks and high-technology crimes > 4. Combat public corruption at all levels > 5. Protect civil rights > 6. Combat transnational/national criminal organizations and enterprises > 7. Combat major white-collar crime > 8. Combat significant violent crime > 9. Support federal, state, local and international partners > 10. Upgrade technology to successfully perform the FBI’s mission ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/6 "2008-04-11T14:40:26Z")
[QUOTE=DrCube] Law enforcement, on the other hand, seems to hinge on something narrower than “reducing crime”, or even “justice” . . . [/QUOTE] Something **broader,** I should think. Why did all those NY police rush into the Twin Towers on 9/11? To arrest people? Gather evidence? No, to get people out – because the police are not purely and simply crimefighters or officers of the law; they are also generally responsible for public peace, public order, and public safety. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/7 "2008-04-11T14:40:39Z")
Most organizations have a built-in incentive to expand their scope and reach in the world. I don’t see where law enforcement is any different from the others in this respect, whatever their STATED goals are. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/8 "2008-04-11T14:51:48Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Captor] Most organizations have a built-in incentive to expand their scope and reach in the world. I don’t see where law enforcement is any different from the others in this respect, whatever their STATED goals are. [/QUOTE] What I was going to say. Increase budget, personnel, and responsibilities. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/9 "2008-04-11T14:58:53Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Something **broader,** I should think. Why did all those NY police rush into the Twin Towers on 9/11? To arrest people? Gather evidence? No, to get people out – because the police are not purely and simply crimefighters or officers of the law; they are also generally responsible for public peace, public order, and public safety. [/QUOTE] Very good point, sir. I forgot about all the saving people’s lives stuff. Still, how much of what the police did on 9/11 was in their job descriptions, and how much was going above and beyond the call of duty? I would think that in non-catastrophic-world-shattering events that paramedics and the fire department could handle most of the life-saving that didn’t fall under the category of ‘preventing murder’. ---
**Author:** ![Carnacki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Carnacki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnacki)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/10 "2008-04-11T21:14:50Z")
[QUOTE=blinkingblinking] Is their objective just to reduce crime? Does any organisation have a goal of wiping out organised crime? I would be interested in what these organisations really have as stated goals. [/QUOTE] The mission statement of my hometown police department: “The mission of the [hometown] Police Department, through the philosophy of community oriented policing, is to create a safe community where all people can live in peace without the fear of crime. This commitment will ensure a professional quality of service and accountability to the citizens of the city of [hometown].” ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/11 "2008-04-11T21:50:57Z")
Their goal is to make as many high profile arrests as possible and not get hurt while doing so. Promotions, better budgets and retirement ensues. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/12 "2008-04-11T22:32:04Z")
Their goal is to grind down the working classes while serving the parasitic needs of the decadent aristocracy! They’re the fuzz on the face of fascism![sup]\*[/sup] Off the pigs! [sup]\*[/sup] Tom Sharpe, _Ancestral Vices_ (1980) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2008, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ultimate-goal-of-the-police-fbi-interpol-etc/444873/13 "2008-04-12T01:07:26Z")
I’ve never worked directly with a law enforcement organization, but I have to assume that they do not have an “ultimate goal” I don’t even think the police set their overall goals. I believe those are actually set by politicians and policy makers. They may create short term objectives. “Focus on these 10 most wanted fugitives”, “set up a servailance in the park to catch drug dealers and prostitutes”, “lets improve response time by 30%”. In management consulting, there’s a thing called the 80:20 rule. Basically 20% of your resources will fix 80% of the problem but the remaining 20% will require the other 80% of resources. You can’t say “we’re going to erradicate 100% of crime”. First of all it will be exhorbitantly expensive to do so, it is IMPOSSIBLE to do so because crime is caused by a variety of complex social factors outside the control of the police and finally, attempting to do so will likely create such an oppressive state as to incite more rebellion and crime.