What do police actually do while on patrol?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Patrol is known as the foundation of the police department. Patrol is where most sworn personnel are assigned and carry out the mission of the police agency. More than 60 percent of sworn personnel in municipal law enforcement are in uniform and assigned to respond to calls for service. The patrol officer is the police department's generalist and foremost representative to the public. Approximately half of the time that officers are on patrol they are responding to calls for service and/or initiating contacts; the other half of the time is uncommitted time that is devoted to driving the patrol car in a beat. According to research, this uncommitted time is not contributing to the reduction of crime or to citizens' perception that they are safer because the police are driving around. Uncommitted time should probably be devoted to activities with more specific objectives than routine patrol.

What Do Police Actually Do While on Patrol