What is the primary role of law enforcement agencies?

The primary role of law enforcement agencies is to enforce laws. This encompasses various responsibilities, such as patrolling communities, investigating crimes, collecting evidence, and making arrests. Law enforcement personnel are tasked with ensuring public safety and upholding the rule of law, which is essential for a functioning society. By enforcing laws, these agencies help maintain order, protect life and property, and prevent and respond to criminal activity.

While educating the public about laws is also an important aspect of their role, it is secondary to the direct enforcement of those laws. Similarly, law interpretation and law creation are responsibilities that fall outside the purview of law enforcement agencies; those functions are typically handled by the judiciary and legislative branches of government, respectively.