In the United Kingdom, police constables were not allowed to converse with passerby or pass the time with other constables unless it was necessary to perform their duties. The same principles extended to beats patrolled on bicycles or in motor vehicles. Even with radio communication, the patrol vehicle would be expected to visit and remain at certain points at particular times, allowing supervisors to meet up with the patrolling officer or to give a visible police presence at times when this was deemed particularly needed. Chief Constable Captain Athelstan Popkess of the Nottingham City Police is credited with being largely responsible for transforming British police from their Victorian era beat policing model to the modern reactive response model, through his development of the Mechanized Division, which used two-way radio communication between police command and patrol cars. Popkess and the Nottingham City Police would expand the reactive response model, including overlaying mobile patrol areas on top of several existing foot beats; allowing responding Mechanized Division officers to collect colleagues on foot and take them to incidents; "snatch-plans" to pot up police cars at key road junctions in the event of serious crimes; and the use of unmarked vehicles. Around the same period, police in other countries such as the United States also began to reorganize their traditional beat systems to use advances in policing technology. Modern policing The move to motorized patrols in the mid-20th century greatly reduced the priority given to foot patrols. The proliferation of technology such as portable radios and mobile data terminals among the standard-issue equipment of police officers, the growth and expanse of cities and residential areas, and changes in interactions between police and the community (such as increased traffic stops due to higher automobile ownership), greatly reduced the need for foot patrols and the traditional beat system. Additionally, concerns over corruption between criminals and their local patrol officer led to a deemphasis in close community bonds. For the most part, beats simply became areas police officers were assigned to, regardless of their familiarity with the community or the area, and the size of beats increased as more police forces began using vehicles. In the 21st century, traditional beat policing returned to modern policing as a new focus on community policing emerged, resulting in a resurgence in traditional foot patrols. See also References Law enforcement Reconnaissance Walking Jargon