Law enforcement

Law enforcement, method used by the various levels of government to regulate social conduct. Laws, the rules by which society recognizes obedience, are enforced by agencies given public authority to impose penalties or sanctions when they are broken. These agencies are usually a combination of a police force and the courts. In the United States most municipal police forces operate independently of state influence, and city police chiefs are traditionally appointed, while sheriffs, who enforce county laws, are elected to office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains an enforcement branch and assists local authorities in federal cases. The International Court of Justice, an agency of the UN with 15 international judges, sits at The Hague, Netherlands, and hears disputes between countries.