Final answer:
American law enforcement agencies have utilized 'preventive policing' as a strategy to combat terrorism. The Patriot Act expanded the powers of the federal government to covertly surveil suspected individuals, while the creation of the Office of Homeland Security centralized control over government functions to better address threats at home.
Step-by-step explanation:
American law enforcement agencies have utilized 'preventive policing' as a strategy to combat terrorism. The Patriot Act, passed in 2001, expanded the powers of the federal government to covertly surveil individuals suspected of having connections to terrorist activities. This allowed law enforcement to take proactive measures against potential threats by gathering intelligence and conducting preemptive investigations.
Additionally, the creation of the Office of Homeland Security and the Department of Homeland Security centralized control over different government functions to better address threats at home. The focus on preventive policing aimed to prevent terrorist acts through proactive measures rather than simply responding to incidents after they occurred.
Overall, preventive policing has been used to enhance national security and protect against potential terrorist threats in the United States.