Which term best describes a policing approach that emphasizes partnerships with the community to address underlying causes rather than just responding to incidents?

• A. Community policing
• B. Incident driven policing
• C. Traditional policing
• D. Intelligence-led policing

Answer: (B)

Building strong ties with the community and jointly addressing problems that contribute to crime or disorder is what community policing emphasizes. It pairs officers with residents, businesses, and local organizations to identify recurring issues, understand underlying causes, and implement proactive solutions, not just respond to calls. This approach depends on trust, ongoing communication, and shared responsibility for safety, with continuous evaluation of what works.

Incident-driven policing, by contrast, centers on reacting to calls and incidents after they happen; traditional policing focuses more on patrol and enforcement without formal, sustained community partnerships; intelligence-led policing uses data and analysis to target offenders, often with less emphasis on broad community collaboration.