The state police system is obviously larger than your town police department. The state system is usually responsible for enforcing the law in all the areas of a state outside the cities and providing emergency help during natural disasters. The highway patrol is part of the state police system. State police departments keep files of criminal histories, photos, and fingerprints. They often work with town and city police departments to solve crimes, but it is not the job of the police to actually punish those who break the law or to determine whether someone is guilty or not.