September 17, 1787, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; In the heat of summer, in a stuffy meeting room at Independence Hall, a group of delegates met. After four months of closed-door quorums, a four-page handwritten document was signed by thirty-nine participants in the Constitutional Convention. This document became, by many, considered the framework for the greatest form of government ever known; the Constitution of the United States. One of the first of its kind, the Constitution established the framework for the government we know today. A government of the people, by the people and for the people; constructed of three branches; each branch being charged with its own responsibilities. Article 1 established the Congress or Legislative Branch, which would be charged with legislative powers. Article Two created the executive branch, granting primary executive powers to a president, who would act as commander in chief of the nation's military forces. The President of the United States also acts as head of state to foreign nations and can establish treaties and foreign policies. Additionally, the president and executive branch departments were created as the branch of government responsible for implementing and enforcing laws written by Congress. Third, under Article Three of the Constitution, the judiciary was created and, therefore, charged with interpreting laws, determining the constitutionality of laws and applying it to individual cases. The separation of powers is essential to the system of checks and balances between the three branches; however, although separate, they must support the functions of the others. For this reason, the legislative power and...... middle of paper ......nt to work together has increased. It has become more common for federal law enforcement to work with local law enforcement. The monetary influence of executive branch-administered programs, such as COPS, helps bring new technology to local police departments, impacting policing. Additionally, federal law enforcement's creation of new crime-fighting technologies eventually finds its way into state and local police departments. This supports the idea that the legislative and executive powers influence the application of the law; however, the executive branch exercises a more direct and active influence. Department of Homeland Security. Office of State and Local Law Enforcement. and Web. November 10, 2013. U.S. Department of Justice. The USA PATRIOT Act: Preserving Life and Liberty. and Web. November 11 2013.