Why?

Why? This is a question that is common to hear from law enforcement professionals, as well as community members and leaders. Why is it so important for law enforcement, communities, and local governments to work together to take proactive steps to prevent and deter crime? Why are evidence-based, data-driven strategies worth the effort? Well, there are several reasons worth noting!

• Public Safety and Wellbeing: Proactive measures help prevent crimes from happening in the first place, ensuring the safety and well-being of communities. Preventing crimes before they occur reduces harm to individuals and minimizes the impact on society.

• Resource Efficiency: By addressing the root causes of crime early on (such as mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, etc.), law enforcement can focus their efforts on prevention rather than solely on reaction. This saves resources in the long term, as responding to crimes after they occur often requires significant time and money.

• Officer Safety: By proactively addressing problems, Officers are able to prevent repeat interactions/arrests, with the same people over and over. This reduction in interactions/arrests leads to safer conditions for Police Officers, and allows Officers to focus their attention on more proactive activities.

• Community Bonds & Trust: Proactive law enforcement builds positive relationships with communities by demonstrating a commitment to protecting residents and creating a sense of security. When communities feel safe, they are more likely to cooperate with law enforcement, which can further reduce crime and foster more positive bonds.

• Reduction in Recidivism: Proactive measures, such as community outreach and rehabilitation programs, can help offenders reintegrate into society and reduce the likelihood of reoffending. This not only helps individuals but also contributes to lower crime rates over time.

• Crime Deterrence: Visible proactive law enforcement actions, such as patrols, surveillance, and community engagement, act as a deterrent to potential criminals. When people perceive a high likelihood of being caught, they are less likely to commit crimes.

• Long-term Crime Reduction: Prevention and deterrence strategies that focus on the underlying causes of crime (such as mental health, substance abuse, poverty, etc.) help reduce crime in the long run, creating a more stable and secure society.

• Improves Quality of Life: By proactively addressing, deterring, and preventing crime and underlying problems, a more positive environment can flourish. Taking the time to implement strategies like CPTED can also ensure environmental issues are addressed, thus cleaning up the environment and making it safer. By doing both, the quality of life for residents, businesses, customers, and visitors alike is greatly improved.

• Improves the Local Economy: When crime problems are proactively addressed and reduced, and when the quality of life is improved, the views of the area also improves. This can promote more patronage of local businesses, and potentially attract potential new businesses, thus improving the local economy.

In essence, proactive policing is about not just responding to crime but actively working to prevent it and improve the overall quality of life for everyone in the community. We all play an integral role, and it should begin with our law enforcement professionals.

Want to learn more about Why, and How?? Contact me!