A guiding principal

¶ … Law enforcement is not an objective of policing; rather, it is one method that is sometimes employed in the effort to protect life and property and maintain order.

If law enforcement were the only purpose of policing, than policing would be as 'easy' as following the rules of an instruction manual, and keeping people in line when they did not obey those rules. Policing, however, is not like being an umpire: many aspects of policing are far less clearly defined than what can be found in the letter of the law. For example, the mere presence of an officer in a tense situation, such as a parade that might become rowdy, can have a calming and positive effect, even though no one is technically breaking the rules. A policeman must know how to keep the peace with a minimum amount of disturbance.

A policeman, by presenting a positive face of the law and the government, can encourage a community to share valuable information with law enforcement and make the streets safer. A policeman can act as an educator, and motivate young people to avoid the risks of a life of crime and the dangers of drugs. The officer can even help a community organize a neighborhood watch. A policeman must show that he or she is part of the community, not an adversarial pressure upon the community. The police oppose criminals and crime, not all civilians: this must be communicated clearly in the officer's demeanor and manner.