What are the two basic patrol strategies employed by officers?

The two basic patrol strategies employed by officers are preventative patrol and directed enforcement. Preventative patrol involves officers patrolling specific areas to deter crime through their visible presence, which can discourage criminal activity simply by being observed by potential offenders. This strategy is proactive, as its primary goal is to prevent crimes before they occur.

Directed enforcement, on the other hand, focuses on specific problems or areas where crime is known to occur. In this strategy, officers may target certain locations or types of crimes based on crime data, trends, or community concerns. This tailored approach allows law enforcement to allocate resources more effectively and respond to specific criminal behaviors, thereby resulting in a more strategic use of police efforts.

Together, these strategies create a comprehensive approach to law enforcement that balances general deterrence with focused interventions, making them essential components of effective policing. Other options may touch on valuable aspects of law enforcement but do not represent the foundational strategies of patrol as effectively as preventative patrol and directed enforcement do.