I made this glossary to explain some terms related to my field of study.
AMBER Alert
Noun
An AMBER Alert is a child abduction emergency alert that notifies the public and asks for their help when a child as been abducted and that their safety is compromised.
Example: David, a four-year-old boy has been abducted by his violent uncle. An AMBER ALERT has been triggered to help find the boy.
fr: Alerte Amber
Assault
Noun
Assault is an offense under the Canadian Criminal Code. A person is considered having committed an assault when he has applied force on another person without their consent, has threatened to apply force on another person and it is reasonable to believe that they could do it or carries openly a weapon or an imitation and tackles another person.
Example: Jake punched Mike in the face because he was angry at him. Jake committed an ASSAULT.
fr: Voie de fait
BEI
Noun
The BEI is a government agency whose mission is to investigate police interventions that have resulted in the injury or death of a citizen.
Example: A man was shot by a police officer this morning. The BEI is going to investigate.
fr: Bureau des Enquêtes Indépendantes
Breathalyzer
Noun
A breathalyzer is a device use by police officers to estimate the amount of alcohol content in the blood. It measures the amount of alcohol in a person’s breath.
Example: David had to take a BREATHALYZER because he was drunk driving.
fr: Éthylotest
Community policing
Noun
Community policing is an approach of policing that prioritize the development of trusting relationship between law enforcement officers and the local population. Police officers patrol in the same neighborhood for a long period which helps to establish good relationships and to solve problems.
Example: The COMMUNITY POLICE department is organizing a fundraising campaign to help fight against homelessness in the neighborhood.
fr: Police communautaire
Crime mapping
Noun
Crime mapping is a tool used by police departments to analyze the geographical locations of committed crimes.
Example: Montreal’s CRIME MAPPING indicates that there is a high concentration of crimes in the south center district.
fr: Cartographie de la délinquance
Criminal Code
Noun
The Criminal Code is a document that codifies the majority of the Canadian criminal offenses.
Example: The offence “assault” is defined in section 265(1) of the CRIMINAL CODE.
fr: Code criminel
Criminal intelligence
Noun
Criminal intelligence is a collection of information related to crime that are analyzed to help record and prevent new criminal activity.
Example: The CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE in the FBI database indicates that this person committed a crime five years ago.
fr: Renseignement criminel
CRPQ
Noun
The CRPQ (Centre de renseignements policiers du Québec) witch directly translate to Quebec Police Intelligence Center is a software use by law enforcement agents. It contains a lot of information in regard to crime, criminal activities and law enforcement activities in general.
Example: Bob, a police officer, looked for information in the QUEBEC POLICE INTELLIGENCE CENTER.
fr: Centre de renseignements policiers du Québec
First degree murder
Noun
First degree murder is an offense recorded in the Canadian Criminal Code. Murder is the act of killing voluntarily another human being. A first degree murder is a murder that was planned and deliberate.
Example: The jury has found Bob guilty of FIRST DEGREE MURDER since the evidence showed that he planned to kill his mother months before the act and that he killed her deliberately.
fr: Meurtre au premier degré
Genetic fingerprinting
Noun
Genetic fingerprinting is a forensic technique used in criminal investigations to analyse and compare DNA found on a crime scene and from a suspect. The DNA is found in body tissues or fluids
Example: The blood from a possible suspect was found on the crime scene. We should use the GENETIC FINGERPRINTING method to see if the DNA of the suspect is already in our database.
fr: Analyse des empreintes génétiques
Investigation
Noun
An investigation involves seeking the truth by accumulating and analyzing evidence. Law enforcement investigates crimes under the Criminal Code.
Example: A murder has been committed. The law enforcement officers are INVESTIGATING out find out the truth about the case.
fr: Enquête
Luminol
Noun
Luminol is a chemical use by forensic investigators to detect blood in crime scenes. It glows when it enters in contact with blood.
Example: Example : Jake, a forensic investigator, used LUMINOL on the crime scene to detect blood.
fr: Luminol
Mischief
Noun
Mischief is an offense under the Canadian Criminal Code. A person is considered having committed a mischief when they destroy or damage property, when they cause damage to an object and make it dangerous or inoperative, when they obstruct the enjoyment of property or when they obstruct with a person in the enjoyment of property.
Example: Bob damaged Samuel’s car by hitting it with an axe. Bob committed a MISCHIEF.
fr: Méfait
Polygraph
Noun
A polygraph is a device used by law enforcement officers to record and measure physical indicators. Some of which are blood pressure and heart rate. It is used as a lie detector.
Example: Jonathan is a suspect in a murder case. He is asked to pass a POLYGRAPH test to ensure that he is telling the truth.
fr: Polygraphe
Prison
Noun
A prison is a provincial level detention facility that is used to jail people with a sentence of two years minus a day and less.
Example: Jake has been sentenced to one year in PRISON.
fr: Prison
Public security
Noun
Public security is one of the government’s responsibility. It consists of protecting the citizens and the territory against threats. Law enforcement is a public safety organization.
Example: The Minister of PUBLIC SECURITY gave a press conference regarding the shootings in Montreal
fr: Sécurité publique
Spelling alphabet
Noun
A spelling alphabet is a code that is usually used when over a two-way radio. This code uses a word to represent every letter of the alphabet. All words are phonetically different to avoid confusion.
Example: The SPELLING ALPHABET is useful to say number plate. His number plate is Foxtrot, November, Quebec, 9, 4, 7, 1.
fr: Alphabet radio
Taser
Noun
A taser is an electroshock weapon that is used by law enforcement officers. It is a non-lethal weapon that incapacitates the target and allows the suspect to be apprehended safely.
Example: Mike was extremely agitated. The police officer decided to use his TASER against him.
fr: Pistolet à impulsion électrique
Trust relationship
Noun
A relationship of trust is a relationship in which confidence is placed in another. It is a very important concept in the field of law enforcement because its mandate is to help and protect the population, not be against them.
Example: Police officers played basketball with the young people of the neighborhood to build a TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP with them.
