3 ‘The police enforce the law’

In dramas and documentaries, the police detect crime and chase criminals. On the news, police officers manage crowds, and hold press conferences when defendants are convicted and sentenced. It seems obvious that ‘the police enforce the law’, but is it true?

Figure 11 Police officers at a protest

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Illustrative photograph showing two police officers with their backs to the camera. They wear high-visibility vests saying ‘Heddlu – Police’. (‘Heddlu’ is the Welsh word for ‘police’.) They are looking at a group of people wearing raincoats and carrying umbrellas, and a placard.

Figure 11 Police officers at a protest