3. Distinguish between a proactive and reactive police

agency. What major

characteristics identify the proactive police agency?

We talk about Reactive Police Agency when the police respond to specific

requests fromindividuals/groups in the community which encompasses

immediate response to calls andfollow-up investigations.

The Proactive Police Agency is when the police are acting on their own

initiative, in orderto develop information about crime as well as strategies

for suppression. For example, apolice officer reactively responding to a

dispatched call could, nonetheless, resolve theissue proactively by

mediating between the parties or using informal action. Similarly, incontrast

to routine patrol, the directed patrol involves officers being instructed to

monitorspecific areas that are identified through problem/crime analysis

when they are notresponding to dispatch calls. Directed patrol is more

proactive than random preventativepatrol, but it still lacks the component of

problem oriented policing that engages thecommunity in resolving crime

issues. Also proactive policing results in more arrests,detention and filing of

reports than reactive policing.