--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The police, at their best, do three…" description: "\"The police, at their best, do three things; they prevent crime, they respond to crime, and they solve crime. In all three of those buckets, they need t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/deray-mckesson-4626_best_the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things_2615610.jpg" --- # The police, at their best, do three things; they prevent… ![“The police, at their best, do three things; they prevent crime, they respond to crime, and they solve crime. In all three of those buckets, they need the trust of the community to do it, so I believe that if we restore the trust that we will change the way police are experiencing communities and…” quote by DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/deray-mckesson-4626_best_the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things_2615610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/deray-mckesson-4626_best_the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things_2615610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/deray-mckesson-4626_best_the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things_2615610.jpg) > “The police, at their best, do three things; they prevent crime, they respond to crime, and they solve crime. In all three of those buckets, they need the trust of the community to do it, so I believe that if we restore the trust that we will change the way police are experiencing communities and ways that will preserve life and make everyone safer.” [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective policing relies on preventing, responding to, and solving crime, all of which require community trust. **In simple terms:** Trust is key for police to protect. Key Takeaway Build and maintain community trust. Themes public safety trust community engagement Mood hopeful concerned Type advocacy policy community When to use this quote - neighborhood meetings - policy reform - public outreach - crime prevention programs Key Concepts social contract legitimacy accountability Questions to Reflect On - What actions rebuild trust? - How can police demonstrate accountability? A Different Perspective Trust can be fragile and hard to rebuild after breaches. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [It's not crime that makes us more punitive in the United States. It's the way we respond to crime and how we view those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/it-s-not-crime-that-makes-us-more-punitive-in-the-united-states-it-s/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [There's a simple way to solve the crime problem: obey the law; punish those who do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-a-simple-way-to-solve-the-crime-problem-obey-the-law-punish/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“We solve crimes, but we’ll never solve crime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-deasy/we-solve-crimes-but-we-ll-never-solve-crime/) Bob Deasy > [“I will only write the novel, if I can solve the crime”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-hixson/i-will-only-write-the-novel-if-i-can-solve-the-crime/) Andrew Hixson > [Can you ever “solve” poverty? Can you ever “solve” crime? Can you ever “solve” disease, unemployment, war, or any other societal herpes? Hell no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/can-you-ever-solve-poverty-can-you-ever-solve-crime-can-you-ever/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [If you're reading a mystery novel, you kind of want the character to solve the crime instead of completely bumble their way through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/if-you-re-reading-a-mystery-novel-you-kind-of-want-the-character-to/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [We know that when law abiding citizens who know how to utilize a firearm have one on their person, it helps prevent crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-broun/we-know-that-when-law-abiding-citizens-who-know-how-to-utilize-a/) [Paul Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-broun/) > [He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-does-not-prevent-a-crime-when-he-can-encourages-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The well understood equity as well as interest of society demand that we work on much more to prevent crime and offenses than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/the-well-understood-equity-as-well-as-interest-of-society-demand-that/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [The great principle of Justice: prevent crime rather than punish it. All that is needed to execute a guilty man is a firing squad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-roa-bastos/the-great-principle-of-justice-prevent-crime-rather-than-punish-it/) [Augusto Roa Bastos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-roa-bastos/) > [Middle class jobs prevent crime and violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/middle-class-jobs-prevent-crime-and-violence/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [The idea that the sole aim of punishment is to prevent crime is obviously grounded upon the theory that crime can be prevented, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-idea-that-the-sole-aim-of-punishment-is-to-prevent-crime-is/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Putting the 10 commandments up to prevent crime is like putting 'Employees must wash hands' up to keep the piss out of your burger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/putting-the-10-commandments-up-to-prevent-crime-is-like-putting/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [The whole duty of government is to prevent crime and to preserve contracts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-whole-duty-of-government-is-to-prevent-crime-and-to-preserve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those magistrates who can prevent crime, and do not, in effect encourage it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-younger/those-magistrates-who-can-prevent-crime-and-do-not-in-effect/) [Cato the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-younger/) ## More by DeRay Mckesson > [I love Baltimore. This city has made me the man that I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-love-baltimore-this-city-has-made-me-the-man-that-i-am/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [The first time I was ever impressed with Patagonia as a brand was when they released the 'Don't Buy This Jacket' campaign. That campaign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/the-first-time-i-was-ever-impressed-with-patagonia-as-a-brand-was/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [For our kids to go to school, they must be alive, and for adults to work, they must not be in jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/for-our-kids-to-go-to-school-they-must-be-alive-and-for-adults-to/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [When our response to all trauma is to call the police, then that gets us into a cycle of perpetuating trauma. Mental health trauma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/when-our-response-to-all-trauma-is-to-call-the-police-then-that-gets/) [Deray McKesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [I think that I, because of student government and because of working in Baltimore, knew how to be creative with very little resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-that-i-because-of-student-government-and-because-of-working/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Social media allowed us to become our own storytellers. With it, we seized the power of our truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/social-media-allowed-us-to-become-our-own-storytellers-with-it-we/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [What we know to be true is that comfort isn't always freedom. People confuse the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/what-we-know-to-be-true-is-that-comfort-isn-t-always-freedom-people/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Donald Trump is dangerous. The truth is that the bigotry and hatred that he speaks have real consequences in people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/donald-trump-is-dangerous-the-truth-is-that-the-bigotry-and-hatred/) [Deray McKesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [I will never forget the first time I was teargassed or the night I hid under my steering wheel as the SWAT vehicle drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-will-never-forget-the-first-time-i-was-teargassed-or-the-night-i/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [There is nothing romantic about teargas. Or smoke bombs or rubber bullets or sound cannons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/there-is-nothing-romantic-about-teargas-or-smoke-bombs-or-rubber/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Most of my life's information is public. I got a text one day from a hacker who texted me all of my credit card…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/most-of-my-life-s-information-is-public-i-got-a-text-one-day-from-a/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [When I think about protest, I worry so much that people think about it only as standing in the streets. And I say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/when-i-think-about-protest-i-worry-so-much-that-people-think-about-it/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [I think that Silicon Valley and technology can play a huge role in redefining what community looks like and how people come together and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-that-silicon-valley-and-technology-can-play-a-huge-role-in/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [There are people who have demonstrated their willingness to challenge systems and structures, and then when it comes to elections, some of those same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/there-are-people-who-have-demonstrated-their-willingness-to-challenge/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Skills acquisition is really at the heart of what it means to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/skills-acquisition-is-really-at-the-heart-of-what-it-means-to-learn/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) [Explore all 108 DeRay Mckesson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) Gene Scott > [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The police, at their best, do three things; they prevent crime, they respond to crime, and they solve crime. In all three of those buckets, they need the trust of the community to do it, so I believe that if we restore the trust that we will change the way police are experiencing communities and ways that will preserve life and make everyone safer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "DeRay Mckesson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things-they-prevent-crime-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things-they-prevent-crime-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/deray-mckesson-4626_best_the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things_2615610.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/deray-mckesson-4626_best_the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things_2615610.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/deray-mckesson-4626_best_the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things_2615610.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The police, at their best, do three things; they prevent crime, they respond to crime, and they solve crime…” — DeRay Mckesson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "DeRay Mckesson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The police, at their best, do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things-they-prevent-crime-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/the-police-at-their-best-do-three-things-they-prevent-crime-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```