Which term describes police actions initiated by officers and departments rather than by requests for help from the public?

• A. Proactive
• B. Reactive
• C. Jurisdiction
• D. Procedural Law

Answer: (A)

Proactive policing describes actions that officers and departments initiate on their own, aimed at preventing crime and solving problems before someone makes a report or requests assistance. This includes patrols in high-crime areas, analyzing crime data to target hot spots, problem-oriented policing, and community partnerships that address underlying causes rather than just responding to incidents after they occur. The idea is to anticipate issues and take steps to deter crime or reduce opportunities for it.

Reactive policing, by contrast, happens in response to calls for service or incidents that people report. Jurisdiction refers to the geographic or legal authority of a police agency, and Procedural Law concerns the rules and processes governing how law enforcement operates. Therefore, the term that best fits is proactive policing.