NCJ Number
201217
Journal
Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management Volume: 26 Issue: 1 Dated: 2003 Pages: 118-143
Date Published
2003
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This article discusses policing paradigms of Northern Ireland over the course of its social history.
Abstract
The Good Friday Agreement of 1998, supported by over 70 percent of Northern Ireland citizens, initiated the Northern Ireland Assembly, which contained representatives from all of the major political parties of Northern Ireland. This shift in governmental authority and structure highlights the shift from the centrality of the police towards contemporary, pluralistic democracy. The police force, previously an instrument of control for parts of the population, has now become an organization that strives for the consent and support of the public. There are three primary models of policing -- the Anglo-Saxon model, the continental model, and the colonial model. The Anglo-Saxon model is characterized by local government; a decentralized police force that can be unarmed; and deals primarily with crime, with some welfare activities. The continental model has a central government (a monarch or ruler); a centralized, military force that is armed; and political and administrative duties that include crime. The colonial model has colonial authority; a partially centralized force that is militarized, armed, and often consists of alien staff; and crime falls within a wider concern for political and administrative functions. An overview of the social history of Ireland and Northern Ireland shows Northern Ireland to be a dynamic state. Police organization is intimately linked to this sociopolitical history. Despite some strategic changes in the police force, it is only with the Good Friday Agreement and the new government that there is a true attempt to shift toward a new paradigm of policing. One obstacle to implementing a community policing strategy is a legitimacy deficit of political and judicial institutions with regard to the minority Catholic population. Another issue is the inter-community conflict between the Catholic and Protestant populations. There is also a lack of local crime prevention and collaboration between law enforcement, government, private and public agencies, and the community -- a necessary ingredient for successful community policing. 2 tables, 11 notes, 65 references