By Michael S. Burgess, M.S.S.
No one becomes a cop dreaming of running call to call, writing endless reports and never seeing problems solved. Most of us signed up because we wanted to make a positive difference — to help people, solve problems and protect communities.
And yet, in agency after agency, officers fall into the same rut: the “call taker” role. The calls never stop. The paperwork piles up. The same addresses and names keep popping up on the CAD screen. Officers grow frustrated, supervisors grow discouraged and communities feel stuck.
I know, because I lived it at every level — as a patrol officer responding to the same addresses, as a narcotics investigator watching the same networks regenerate and as a CID sergeant supervising detectives who saw the same hotspots create endless calls for service.
What changed: A new approach
Everything shifted when we launched a violent crime prevention initiative using evidence-based and problem-oriented strategies. This was more than theory — it was about changing how we worked on the street.
- Data-driven deployments: Working with a local Crime Analysis Center, we mapped five years of crime data and identified hotspots. Officers were then provided with extra training and deployed to those hot spots during the days and times when crimes were most likely to occur.
- Officer canvassing and interviews: Officers didn’t just patrol. They knocked on doors, interviewed residents and business owners, and listened to concerns. They gathered recommendations directly from the people most affected. This was basically utilizing the Koper Curve on steroids.
- Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and environmental fixes: Officers noted issues like abandoned buildings, poor lighting and blighted parks. City departments responded: Parks & Rec cleaned up Higginbotham Park, Codes cracked down on nuisance landlords, DPW cleared debris, and new signage and lighting were installed. These visible changes signaled to residents that things were different.
- Focused enforcement: CID investigators applied Place Network Investigations (PNI) and Focused Deterrence to target key people and places. This led to narcotics search warrants, drug seizures, weapons recoveries, and the apprehension of wanted persons.
- Partnerships beyond police: Mental health providers, substance abuse counselors, and community organizations were brought in to address root causes. We even partnered with a local university to look at our community relations and communications. They surveyed residents, who provided feedback on what helped us revamp our communication with the community and interactions, and how these improved perceptions of safety and police engagement.
- Leadership: And perhaps most importantly, city leadership — from the mayor to department heads — supported the effort and held everyone accountable. Without solid buy-in and leadership from the top, these efforts will never make significant progress or achieve success.
Results officers could feel
The outcomes weren’t just numbers:
- Violent crime decreased.
- Drug seizures increased.
- Mental health-related calls dropped.
- Wanted persons were taken off the street.
- People were being linked up with the appropriate services and getting the help they needed.
- A crisis/peer support worker was embedded in the PD to proactively intervene before crises turned criminal.
For officers, the most significant change was in day-to-day reality. Instead of responding to the same addresses and individuals endlessly, they saw problems solved. Officers who had been stuck in the “call taker” rut for years felt a renewed sense of pride in their work.
And for the community, the changes were visible — cleaner streets, safer parks and more responsive officers. Residents noticed and trust grew.
How to break the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset
Every officer has heard it: “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” Breaking that mindset starts with simple, practical steps:
- Spot the patterns. If the same people, places, or problems keep showing up, flag them. The SARA or PANDA models are incredibly helpful with completing this.
- Use your data. Even basic call logs can show where to focus.
- Engage the community. Knock on doors, listen, and bring residents into the solution.
- Fix the environment. A cleaned-up park or well-lit block can cut crime opportunities overnight. Using CPTED is key.
- Target smarter. Use tools like PNI and focused deterrence to concentrate on the drivers of harm.
- Lead by example. Supervisors must model proactive thinking and celebrate wins when problems are solved.
The way forward
What this initiative proved is that law enforcement professionals must be willing to look at things differently. True public safety isn’t just about responding faster — it’s about proactively preventing crime, improving quality of life, and strengthening relationships with the community. That requires a shift in mindset, from reaction to prevention.
Cops hate two things: the way it is, and change. But policing, like any profession, must adapt. Just as we adopted body-worn cameras and advanced software, we must also use our data to make smarter, proactive decisions.
No officer wants to just take calls. They want to make a difference. Evidence-based and problem-oriented policing provides the roadmap to do exactly that. The tools are here. The examples are real. The question is whether we’re ready to move past “that’s the way we’ve always done it” and embrace a future where officers are problem solvers, not just call takers.
Closing
If we want safer communities and stronger trust, we can’t afford to stay stuck as call takers. Every officer, every shift, has the opportunity to be a problem solver — and it starts with asking what we can do differently.
References
American Society of Evidence-Based Policing (ASEBP). Resources for agencies and practitioners.
Burgess MS. (2025). Proactive crime prevention: A practical understanding of what, why, and how. Proactive Prevention Strategies, LLC.
College of Policing (UK). (2014). What works in crime reduction: An overview of systematic reviews.
Lawrence DS, Peterson BE, White MD, Cunningham BC, Coldren JR. (2023). Can body-worn cameras reduce injuries during response-to-resistance events in a jail setting? Results from a randomized controlled trial. Justice Quarterly.
Ratcliffe JH. (2016). Intelligence-led policing (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Sherman LW. (2013). The rise of evidence-based policing: Targeting, testing, and tracking. Crime and Justice, 42(1), 377–451.
About the author
Michael S. Burgess, M.S.S., is the founder of Proactive Prevention Strategies, LLC and the author of Proactive Crime Prevention: A Practical Understanding of What, Why, and How. A 24-year law enforcement veteran, he retired as a Criminal Investigations Division Sergeant after serving as a patrolman and narcotics investigator, and later leading crime reduction and prevention initiatives. Burgess holds a Master of Social Science degree in Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis and a bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs with a concentration in Homeland Security. He now works as a professional law enforcement consultant, helping agencies and community leaders implement proactive, evidence-based strategies that enhance officer safety, reduce crime and build trust.
