Proactive Policing Strategies

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Many cities in the United States tend to be more crime ridden than others. Police departments are actively trying to find ways to decrease the number of crimes that occur, and possibly prevent it from ever happening by stepping up their patrols. Law Enforcement from the Federal level to the local level all use many different strategies to make an impact and lower the crime rate. Policing strategies have changed over the years due to better budgets, which increased technology and made it more readily accessible. Proactive policing is necessity in the United States today for cities to maintain safety of the Citizens. There are many strategies law enforcement uses to proactively police certain areas such as hot spot policing, crackdown policing, …show more content…
A DUI saturation patrol is a police tactic in which police departments drastically increase the amount of patrols and man-power in a certain location where drinking and driving is historically an issue (Grant &Terry, 2008). DUI Checkpoints or Sobriety Checkpoints are a police tactic where officers change the flow of traffic to a specific location where they can check drivers for signs of impairment due to the use of alcohol. DUI saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints have been in use for many years. These two tactics can be used simultaneously or individually; DUI saturation patrols can be used to stop repeat offenders who are likely to attempt to avoid sobriety checkpoints (Greene, …show more content…
With a combination of new and old technologies law enforcement officers will continue to patrol in the most reasonable and effective way. Many officers enjoy riding around in an air-conditioned patrol car, some enjoy foot patrols to be in better contact with people of the community, the newer technology of Segway transportation, and others prefer the more hands on personal type of transportation, a bike. Timothy Meinch of The Des Moines Register wrote that many police officers in Des Moines, Iowa believe that patrol cars are fast and convenient, however in some cases pedal power is more discreet and economical (Meinch, 2013). Not only are walking foot patrols and bicycle patrols cheaper, but they also give police an advantage to possible watch criminal activity as it occurs due to the lower profile of being on foot or on a bike rather than being on a Segway or in a car also patrol cars are limited to paved streets and more often than not crimes occur behind businesses, in alleys and places not readily accessible to a car. Many communities across the United States tend to believe that bicycle patrols have a better impact on crime in their communities and also make for better interactions between police officers and civilians. The earliest use of bicycle patrols by the police was in 1869 and then when automobiles became popular, law enforcement agencies

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