5-56. Military forces may be initially engaged in conducting policing and penal operations to prevent criminal activity or to reduce crime-conducive conditions in a particular area. These activities protect communities from criminal predators who can have a chilling effect on populations and can destabilize specific areas. In these operations, military forces must be proficient in the escalation of force before resorting to lethal action within the rules of engagement. Nonlethal TTP and capabilities provide commanders with the ability to implement or initiate a scalable force response, which can contribute to the protection of the force and the civilian populace. The presence of well-trained, -equipped, and -disciplined Soldiers with lethal capability can often be sufficient to deter violence, confrontation, or conflict while conducting stability operations. However, the rules of engagement are tested by adversaries and the capability to respond first with nonlethal means and to escalate only as required serves the long-term objectives well. Law enforcement activities transition from military personnel to civilian police who are supplied by the host nation or as part of another nation or international policing effort. Police training, development, and mentoring may continue until normalization is achieved. (See ATP 3-39.10 for additional information on host nation police development.) Commanders may authorize, develop, and train civilian volunteers to augment civil control efforts or to serve as a police auxiliary.