'''''Problem-oriented policing''''' is a type of [[community policing]] that focuses on decentralization of decision-making powers. The term was coined by [[Herman Goldstein]], Professor of Law at the [[University of Wisconsin]], whose book of the same name brought the system to the attention of academeacademic and [[law enforcement]] administrators alike. Over the past several years, problem-oriented policing (POP) has in many places virtually replaced the "incident-driven" method of state and local law enforcement. At the heart of the POP strategy is its commitment to empowering each individual officer with the authority to identify and proactively work on problems within his or her [[beat]]. The policy is designed to be implemented from the bottom up with rank-and-file officers effectively setting agency goals and developing strategies to achieve them, as opposed to the top-down approach of most traditional bureaucratic policies.
