Final answer:
The statement is true as police patrol oversight reacts to incidents after their occurrence, while fire alarm oversight is a proactive system aimed at immediate fire detection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that police patrol oversight is more reactive and "after-the-fact" than fire alarm oversight is often considered to be true. Police patrols typically respond to incidents after they have occurred, addressing crimes or disturbances once they have been reported. This is in contrast to fire alarm systems, which are designed to provide a proactive alert to potential fire outbreaks, allowing for immediate action to prevent or mitigate a fire before it grows out of control.