Page 16 - 1Proactive Policing

Pro-Active Policing

Deadly force is generally defined as physical force which, under the circumstances in which it is
used, is readily capable of causing death or serious physical injury. In order for deadly force to be

justified there must be an immediate, otherwise unavoidable threat of death or grave bodily harm
to yourself or other innocents.

Preventive police

Preventive police is that aspect of law enforcement intended to act as a deterrent to the
commission of crime. Preventive policing is considered a defining characteristic of the modern

police, typically associated with Robert Peel's London Metropolitan Police, established in 1829.
Preventive police refers to that aspect of law enforcement proposed to act as a deterrent to the

commission of crime. It includes all actions carried out by police with the intention of identifying
and preventing a specific crime or a type of crime. It may also include special investigation
techniques of secret surveillance.

An essential role of local government is to ensure community safety. Elected and appointed local
government officials who are held accountable for public safety need to understand how local

government can effectively control and prevent common public safety problems. In addition to
securing public safety for its own sake, a community‘s reputation for public safety heavily
influences its appeal as a place to raise a family or open a business.

Critical views:

More recent histories have considered the preventive principle in a more critical light, attempting
to reconcile its introduction with the broader social changes that were underway in late eighteenth

century Britain. An obvious problem with the celebratory tone such as the quote above is that
Patrick Colquhoun, although he claimed policing was a "new science" and embraced a utilitarian

approach to social problems, was not making an original contribution to English order, as he saw
it, based purely on scientific insights and British values of liberty.

Instead, he looked to France, where, in his view, they had achieved ―the greatest degree of
perfection‖ with their police. Others have noted that preventive police were sprouting up

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