IN ENGLAND, SOCIAL PRESSURES ARE THREATENING TO CAUSE THE TRADITIONAL PREVENTIVE PHILOSOPHY OF POLICING TO GIVE WAY TO A REACTIVE PHILOSOPHY. IF REACTIVE POLICING DOES REPLACE PREVENTIVE POLICING, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE THE DETERIORATION OF POLICE-PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND THE END OF THE EVOLUTION OF POLICING AS AN ENLIGHTED PROFESSION. OTHER AGENCIES WILL TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF PREVENTING CRIME, LEAVING POLICE TO SERVE AS WATCHMEN AND GUARDS. IT IS TIME TO ARTICULATE THE ROLE OF THE BRITISH POLICE IN A WAY THAT WILL FACILITATE RATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALONG PROACTIVE AS WELL AS REACTIVE LINES. PROACTIVE POLICING GOES BEYOND PREVENTION TO HARNESS THE STRENGTH OF THE COMMUNITY IN COMBATING CRIME. PROACTIVE POLICING IS CONCERNED WITH REINFORCING SOCIAL DISCIPLINE AND CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH CRIME CANNOT THRIVE. ITS APPROACH IS BROAD AND ITS AIM LONG TERM. ESSENTIAL TO ITS SUCCESS IS A HIGH DEGREE OF COORDINATION AMONG POLICE, OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND CITIZENS. IN THE HIERARCHY OF PREVENTION, PROACTIVE POLICING IS PRIMARY PREVENTION. THE PROACTIVE PHILOSOPHY IS EXEMPLIFIED IN POLICE, CRIME PREVENTION SUPPORT UNITS THAT WORK WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ORGANIZE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS FOR YOUTHS, AND DELIVER TALKS TO COMMUNITY GROUPS. IT IS NOT EASY TO CONVINCE A POLICE FORCE TO ACCEPT AND APPLY THE PRINCIPLES OF PREVENTIVE POLICING, PARTICULARLY AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL. ADVISORY BOARDS AT THE CENTRAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVELS, TOGETHER WITH INSERVICE AND PRESERVICE POLICE TRAINING, CAN HELP. THE PURPOSE OF PROACTIVE POLICING IN THE BROADEST SENSE IS TO FIND NEW WAYS OF BRINGING JOINT RESOURCES TO BEAR IN TIMES OF SOCIAL CHANGE. IN SUCH TIMES, A COMBINED BETTER CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING THAN EITHER APPROACH STANDING ALONE. (A SIDE-BAR TO THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES HOW THE AUTHOR HAS IMPLEMENTED HIS PHILOSOPHY IN HIS OWN DEPARTMENT AND HOW POLICE OFFICERS AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE RESPONDED). (LKM)