Modern policing is facing an uncomfortable truth: in the pursuit of numbers, policies, and perceived safety, a fundamental skill has quietly slipped away. Policing – The Lost Art confronts the growing loss of effective foot and mobile patrol, arguing that the erosion of situational awareness has created new and serious risks for police members and the communities they serve. What was once a cornerstone of safe, proactive policing has been replaced by practices that may look reassuring on paper but leave officers more exposed than ever in real-world environments.

This article challenges long‑held assumptions about “strength in numbers,” questions entrenched patrol policies, and calls for a return to leadership, training, and accountability that prioritise awareness over complacency. Drawing on lived operational realities, it makes a compelling case that true safety lies not in clustering together but in skilled, alert, and engaged police presence. For anyone concerned about frontline safety, community protection, and the future of effective policing, this is a vital read.

Full story at https://caainc.org.au/