The five core operational strategies of modern law enforcement are: Preventive patrol, routine incident response, emergency response, criminal investigation, problem solving.
Preventive patrol is the showing of police presence as a deterrent to criminal activity (on the basis that criminals will not commit crimes in the presence of the police).
Routine incident response is the attendance of police at everyday events, likely to involve no malicious intent, such as minor traffic accidents.
Emergency response, by corollary, is the attendance by police at events at which there is an immediate and credible threat to life or property, often involving malicious intent, such as shootings, bank robbery etc.
Criminal investigation is the process by which a trail of facts relating to an existing crime is amassed, often leading to an arrest of a person suspected of committing the crime in question.
Problem solving, also known as problem-oriented policing, is the process of police officers improving the relationship between authorities, citizens and communities. It can be used as a kind of unofficial mediation: A police officer on site can mitigate tensions between neighbours, for instance, not by preventive patrol, but by enabling rational discussion of tensions.
The operational strategies used by police forces vary depending on a number of factors:
Over the last few decades, policing strategies have evolved, and are continuing to do so. One reason for this is the introduction of modern technology to the police force. Having two way radios and computers installed in police vehicles allows for a strategy called 'intelligence-led policing'. The idea behind this is that officers can be more aware of crime and criminals in their surrounding area, and once they receive intelligence from headquarters, can employ 'problem oriented policing' - another strategy which, as the name implies, allows police to shift tactics depending on the problem they are dealing with.
The 90s also saw police begin to work more closely with communities to prevent crime together, as well as other strategies such as so-called 'broken windows policing'. This strategy is based on the idea that areas which look rife with crime will breed more crime as they give off the impression that the authorities have no presence. Fixing broken windows and graffiti will make crime less likely to occur as it shows that the police are taking an interest in the area.
Preventive patrol is the showing of police presence as a deterrent to criminal activity (on the basis that criminals will not commit crimes in the presence of the police).
Routine incident response is the attendance of police at everyday events, likely to involve no malicious intent, such as minor traffic accidents.
Emergency response, by corollary, is the attendance by police at events at which there is an immediate and credible threat to life or property, often involving malicious intent, such as shootings, bank robbery etc.
Criminal investigation is the process by which a trail of facts relating to an existing crime is amassed, often leading to an arrest of a person suspected of committing the crime in question.
Problem solving, also known as problem-oriented policing, is the process of police officers improving the relationship between authorities, citizens and communities. It can be used as a kind of unofficial mediation: A police officer on site can mitigate tensions between neighbours, for instance, not by preventive patrol, but by enabling rational discussion of tensions.
The operational strategies used by police forces vary depending on a number of factors:
- Location
- Current crime rate
- Type of crime most prevalent
- Type of area
- Situation - event policing, 'walking the beat' etc.
Over the last few decades, policing strategies have evolved, and are continuing to do so. One reason for this is the introduction of modern technology to the police force. Having two way radios and computers installed in police vehicles allows for a strategy called 'intelligence-led policing'. The idea behind this is that officers can be more aware of crime and criminals in their surrounding area, and once they receive intelligence from headquarters, can employ 'problem oriented policing' - another strategy which, as the name implies, allows police to shift tactics depending on the problem they are dealing with.
The 90s also saw police begin to work more closely with communities to prevent crime together, as well as other strategies such as so-called 'broken windows policing'. This strategy is based on the idea that areas which look rife with crime will breed more crime as they give off the impression that the authorities have no presence. Fixing broken windows and graffiti will make crime less likely to occur as it shows that the police are taking an interest in the area.
