Magical Law Enforcement Patrol

Magical Law Enforcement Patrol
Organisation information
Leader(s)	Bob Ogden (1920s?)
Headquarters	Level 2, Ministry of Magic
Intentions	General law enforcement in wizarding Britain
Affiliation	Department of Magical Law Enforcement Ministry of Magic
Enemies	Lord Voldemort Death Eaters Order of the Phoenix (when Voldemort controlled the Ministry and in the latter years of Cornelius Fudge's rein because he believed Dumbledore was using it to bring him down)

"I'm a Magical Law Enforcement Officer! I've trained to fight Dark wizards!"

— Cerberus Langarm

The Magical Law Enforcement Patrol (formerly known as the Magical Law Enforcement Squad), was a subdivision of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry of Magic, comprised of a team of wizards and witches tasked with general law enforcement.

History

The Magical Law Enforcement Patrol was headed by Bob Ogden in the 1920s. Ogden ventured to Little Hangleton to arrest Morfin Gaunt, who had been using magic against local Muggles. Morfin and his father Marvolo resisted arrest, however; thus Ogden later returned with support and arrested both Gaunts.

The Daily Prophet reported in its 29 November 1926 issue that the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol was currently recruiting.

Arthur Weasley mentioned to Harry Potter, after the latter's disciplinary hearing in 1995, that the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol would deal with the culprit behind the Regurgitating Toilets in Bethnal Green, a prediction in which he was sadly mistaken, as Willy Widdershins cut a deal with the Minister to spy on Harry and the members of Dumbledore's Army in order to escape punishment for his own activities.

Like Muggle police patrols, the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol/Squad appeared to be tasked with conventional law enforcement tasks. Other sub-departments of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, such as the Auror Office, dealt with specialised magical crimes.

Behind the scenes

Magical Law Enforcement Officer Cerberus Langarm

• As it have never been formally established what kind of services the Patrol provides, it can be assumed that while it is involved in the arrest of less dangerous criminals such as Mundungus Fletcher suspected of petty theft, they primarily serves the entire Department of Magical Law Enforcement as a generic task force which takes its assignments from various its many divisions, such as carrying out house raids on behalf of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, and while not participating in tracking down Dark Wizards, may help in direct confrontation with them with the goal of apprehending them. It is also possible that the 'Ministry official' who the Improper Use of Magic Office almost sent to destroy Harry Potter's wand before Dumbledore intervened would have been a member of the Patrol, since it is known that they are authorised to carry out arrests, while the Improper Use of Magic Office are only known to issue warning letters.
• Since Hit Wizards or Witches from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad were assigned to arrest Sirius Black when Peter Pettigrew faked his own demise at Black's wand, it can be said that the personal risk in which they place themselves while on duty is not very standardised or predictable, as the criminals they confront vary from the petty thief to the fierce Death Eater. In Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World, Officer Cerberus Langarm at one point describes his job as "[catching] hardened criminals" and that he's trained "to fight Dark wizards", though he is also known to have been trying to catch petty criminal Silas Crump in the act.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Appears in flashback(s))
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) (Mentioned in a newspaper)
• Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World (First appearance)