The police dispatcher received hree phone calls requesting services from the police. Which phone call should be a priority according to the differential response strategy

Question

Call #1: There is a report of an active shooting at the Wolfchase Mall. The caller, who claims to be a witness, has stated two people have been injured and the shooting is still in progress.
Call #2: Three cars have gotten into a wreck in Cordova by the Malco movie theater. The caller says there are no apparent injuries at this time, though the road is blocked.
Call #3: Best Buy in east Memphis has called the police because they caught a customer attempting to steal a $400 laptop and are requesting an officer to make an arrest.
Call #1
Call #2
Call #3
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Differential response requires all three calls to be answered at the same time

Answer 1

According to the differential response strategy, the priority for police response would be:

Call #1: There is a report of an active shooting at the Wolfchase Mall. The caller, who claims to be a witness, has stated two people have been injured and the shooting is still in progress.

This call takes precedence over the others due to the immediate threat to life and public safety. Active shootings are critical events that can lead to multiple casualties, and it is essential for law enforcement to respond swiftly to mitigate the situation.

Call #2 and Call #3 would be of lower priority. Call #2 involves a traffic accident with no apparent injuries, and Call #3 involves a theft that, while serious, does not pose an immediate danger to life. Thus, based on the differential response strategy, the active shooting incident (#1) should be the focus for immediate police action.