Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC) Exam 1 Practice Test

Concentrating patrols on specific circumstances that repeatedly generate problems is selective patrol. This approach uses data to identify hot spots, times, and patterns where trouble tends to recur, and then concentrates resources there to disrupt the cycle and prevent new incidents. It’s more targeted than broad, general presence alone, and it’s different from random patrol, which lacks a pattern or data-driven focus.

Compared to proactive patrol, which increases visibility to deter crime across larger areas, selective patrol zeroes in on the particular situations that yield recurring issues. Preventative patrol aims to deter crime in a general sense as well, but not specifically through patterns tied to hot spots or times. An example would be increasing patrols at a storefront block known for weekend shoplifting and disturbances, while also implementing problem-solving steps to address underlying causes.