Which patrol approach is defined as an unsystematic patrol strategy intended to create uncertainty about police presence?

• A. Rapid response to 911 calls
• B. Unsystematic patrol
• C. Swatting
• D. Red light cameras

Answer: (B)

Creating uncertainty about where and when police will be present is the central idea of this patrol approach. Unsystematic patrol deliberately avoids fixed routes, times, and predictable patterns, so criminals cannot reliably anticipate officer presence. This unpredictability raises the perceived risk of being observed or stopped, which can deter offenses and disrupt offenders’ routines.

Rapid response to 911 calls is reactive, focused on getting to incidents after they’re reported rather than shaping ongoing patrol coverage. Swatting is a malicious act aimed at triggering false emergencies, not a patrol strategy. Red light cameras are automated enforcement tools, not patrol approaches that involve officer presence.