NCJ Number
19476
Date Published
1974
Length
192 pages
Annotation
AN ANALYSIS OF THE PRESSURES AND INFLUENCES THAT ARE LEADING MANY BRITISH POLICEMEN TO QUESTION THEIR ROLE IN SOCIETY.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR LOOKS FIRST AT THE IMMENSE PROBLEMS CREATED FOR THE POLICE BY INCREASINGLY VIOLENT AND SOPHISTICATED CRIME, PROTEST AND TERRORISM. THE ATTITUDES OF THE POLICE, HE SAYS, ARE IN KEEPING WITH THEIR NATURE. THEY ARE A MINORITY, A SEMI-CLOSED COMMUNITY, WITH ASTONISHING RECORDS OF LONG-SERVING FAMILIES, GIVING POLICE FORCES SOMETHING OF A TRIBAL FLAVOUR. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SLANG. LIKE MINERS, DOCKERS, OR RAILWAYMEN, THEIR JOBS WERE ESTABLISHED IN VICTORIAN TIMES AND ARE NOW FACED WITH RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE - FOR THE POLICE, A 'REVOLUTION'. YET THERE IS ONE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE: THE POLICE MUST REMAIN MANPOWER INTENSIVE, OTHERWISE PRECIOUS CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC IS LOST. THEY MUST ALSO REMAIN CRAFTSMEN, NOT BECOME MERELY TECHNICIANS. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS ARE TO BLAME FOR NOT GIVING THE POLICE THE SORT OF BACKING THEY DESERVE - FINANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND NOT MERELY PIOUS EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT. THIS FAILURE HAS WIDENED THE GAP BETWEEN POLICE AND PUBLIC BECAUSE OF SHORTAGE OF MEN, HAS LEFT LONDON IN PARTICULAR DANGEROUSLY UNDER-PATROLLED, AND HAS CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS PRESSURES THAT TEMPT SOME OFFICERS TO ERR. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRADITIONS OF THE POLICE, ALTHOUGH SOME POLICEMEN SOMETIMES DO NOT LIVE UP TO THEM. THE POLICE NEED MORE RESOURCES AND MORE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY THESE TRADITIONS, SO THAT THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF BRITISH POLICING IS NOT LOST. THERE IS BOTH TIME AND NEED FOR REFORM IN THE DECADE BEFORE 1984. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)