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What were the three Rs of the professional crime-fighting model of policing?
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Officers of the French National Police patrolling a housing project.
The professional crime-fighting model of policing, which became dominant in the United States during the 20th century, was defined by a strategy known as the "three Rs". These three components are:1
- Random preventive patrols: The use of motorized patrols moving through city streets to create a sense of police omnipresence, intended to deter crime and reassure the public.1
- Rapid response to calls for service: The use of radio communication and automobiles to arrive at the scene of a crime as quickly as possible, ideally within three minutes of an initial report.1
- Reactive criminal investigation: A focus on investigating crimes after they have been reported, shifting the police role toward law enforcement and away from broader social service functions.1
This model emphasized centralized bureaucracy, standardized procedures, and a military-style command structure, though it was later criticized for isolating officers from the communities they served and fostering negative interactions between police and citizens.1