Under this definition, it is their responsibility to ensure there is no violence happening in the area under their charge, period. Doesn't matter who is the actor and who is recipient, if there is any act of violence occurring, police personnel assigned to the area have to step in and make sure it stops immediately. Under this, they can use force only to constrain a violent person, to stop violence. They are not allowed to increase the sum total of violent acts happening in their area.
Current definition of maintaining law and order leads to excesses on one hand and ignorances on the other. They are particularly prone to commit acts of violence on nonviolent protestors, when law and order can be on the wrong side of the ethical divide. And that has been proven to only complicate the situation. Why do we really need police presence? To ensure that there is no threat to life and liberty of human beings due to violence in an area. So let's bring that back to top priority.
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation