It is the critical task police officers perform on daily basis, it is important how an officer utilizes his/her time and resources to have a positive patrol of his/her beat. According to John S. Dempsey, “Patrol is known as the foundation of the police department” (Dempsey 260). He also added, “They are the most visible arm of the criminal justice system as well as the gatekeepers to the system”(Dempsey 260), referring to patrol officers. Police presence is also important; on one hand, it brings a feeling of security to people in public and in communities as well. On the other hand, it plays a major role in deterring crimes and makes criminals and lawbreakers know that the police are always there. Omnipresence is, as defined in Introduction to Policing, “the quality of always being there” (Dempsey …show more content…
Therefore, one way to improve the effectiveness of police patrolling is to involve with the public and strengthen the relationship between them and the department. While patrolling a beat, parking the police car in the local area, and/or taking a walk (foot patrol), police officers will create a stronger sense of security within the community. Especially that by walking on foot the officer will get a wider perspective of knowing the community residents in person and know their stories. Eventually a trustful relationship will grow stronger. Foot patrol also makes approaching an officer easier than being in a vehicle. A 20-year police patrol veteran has posted online; “Foot officers may get information from sources who wouldn 't ever talk to a cop in a squad car. Foot patrol officers are also considerably easier to approach than officers in a car” (Quora). Moreover, patrol officer observations of a neighborhood are completely different when an officer is performing a foot patrol than when the officer is just observing from the patrol car. In order to improve foot patrol, officers have to be well trained to effectively perform such tasks and increase their integration to engage in community activities as well. Bike patrol is also an effective method where patrol officers have the opportunity to meet people and response faster to emergency calls while on duty. According to Rick Bruno, a former police commander in Illinois: “I