Police You probably have a good idea about what the police do, but did you know that there are many different kinds of police officers? Local: Your local police officers work to enforce laws in your city or town. They give out traffic tickets, investigate crimes and keep your community safe. Some local police departments also visit schools to run special programs such as D.A.R.E., which teaches kids about the dangers of drugs. Big cities often split their police departments into different divisions that each work on special jobs like auto theft, burglary or traffic control. County: Counties usually have a sheriff's department. The sheriff and the sheriff's deputies help local police departments and watch over rural areas that don't have their own local police officers. State: The state police patrol the highways throughout a state. They make sure people obey the speed limits on the highways, help when people's cars break down and investigate auto accidents. The state police also work with local police . Federal: Several government agencies work to enforce laws at the federal level. One is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which investigates crimes within the United States. Another group, called the Federal Marshals, protects the federal courts and helps states find prisoners who escape from jail.
	The first city police department was founded in 1844 in New York City.

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