Which statement best describes community-oriented policing?

• A. Focus on enforcement only.
• B. Engage with community across government resources.
• C. Limit to patrols.
• D. Ignore social issues.

Answer: (B)

Community-oriented policing centers on building trust and partnerships with the community to identify problems and develop solutions, using a problem-solving approach that involves multiple government resources. That means officers work with residents and other agencies (such as schools, health and social services, housing, and transportation) to address underlying causes of crime and fear, not merely to catch offenders. Engaging with the community across government resources best captures this collaborative, cross-agency effort to improve safety and quality of life.

Focusing on enforcement only misses the collaborative, preventive aspect and can undermine legitimacy. Limiting to patrols excludes proactive problem-solving and cross-agency engagement. Ignoring social issues runs counter to the approach, which considers social determinants of crime and disorder as part of safety.