Peirspictiochtai Ar An Saol
Zero-Based Law Enforcement
Part Seven
Proactivity is one of several philosophical aspects of Zero-Based Law Enforcement. The concept is that instead of waiting for criminal activity to occur, law enforcement officers strive to minimize the likelihood of criminal activity before it happens.
Some specific types of proactive endeavors that could be taken through Zero-Based Law Enforcement are detailed below.
In commercial districts, law enforcement officers could check the entrances to each establishment in each building every night to make sure that the entrances are closed and locked. The timing of these checks could be varied each day so that potential criminals would not know when the entrances would likely be checked by law enforcement officers.
In cases where the entrances are not closed and are not locked, law enforcement officers could contact the owners of the specific establishments to alert them to the situations. Further investigations could also be undertaken to determine if individuals have entered the establishments without permission.
Automated calling could be done each day to verify that vulnerable individuals answer their telephones to confirm that they are okay. Similar automated texting services could also be implemented for those who prefer texting. For those individuals who don't answer the telephone calls or respond to the texts, law enforcement officers could be alerted to directly check with the individuals to determine if they are okay. If the individuals who did not answer or respond are not okay, law enforcement officers could then proceed with providing or securing any needed services to help the affected individuals.
Law enforcement officers could also work with postal workers who deliver postal mail to ask that the postal workers alert law enforcement officers if vulnerable individuals are not taking their postal mail from their personal mailboxes. For those individuals who don't pick up their postal mail, law enforcement officers could be alerted to directly check with the individuals to determine if they are okay. If the individuals who did not pick up their postal mail are not okay, law enforcement officers could then proceed with providing or securing any needed services to help the affected individuals.
Community Watch programs could be implemented by law enforcement officers working with neighbors in specific areas. Law enforcement officers could educate participants on ways to identify concerns in their community as well as provide ways for participants to alert law enforcement officers of specific situations of concern.
Similar programs could be implemented by law enforcement officers working with businesses in specific areas. Law enforcement officers could educate participants in these Business Watch programs on ways to minimize criminal activities within their establishments. Systems could be implemented where participants alert law enforcement officers of specific situations of concern, and the law enforcement officers could then inform all participants of specific criminal activities or specific potential criminal activities.
For example, some criminals will go from business to business as they steal products. A business participating in a Business Watch program may have just had products shoplifted by an individual. The participating business could upload a description, photograph, or video of the alleged criminal to a law enforcement entity. That law enforcement entity could then review the information and determine if it could identify the alleged criminal. That entity could then also send the information deemed credible to other participants in the Business Watch program so that the businesses could be on the alert for the alleged criminal who might engage in similar criminal activities at another business.
The next news column in this series will focus on additional specific proactive activities that could be taken through Zero-Based Law Enforcement.
Peirspictiochtai Ar A Saol – Gaelic – Irish – for "Perspectives On Life" is a column focused on aspects of accountability and responsibility as well as ways people look at life.
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