Democracy and Policing

British policing is on the brink of the most radical reforms in at least 30 years. Policing has emerged from the shadows to the forefront of public debate during the 1980s and 1990s. The new-found interest reached a climax in the summer of 1993 with the publication of three major reports into policing within three weeks of each other. A central theme of the resulting public debate has concerned the relationship between democracy and policing. Proposed reforms to the structure and functioning of local police authorities have met with a chorus of criticism from local authority associations, opposition politicians and not least, the police staff associations. The strongest theme running through these criticisms concerns the perceived threat to the 'democratic accountability' of the police service. Since 1990, PSI has been engaged in research on the relationship between democratic institutions and policing. The study examines the idea of democracy in relation to modern policing. Focusing on specific changes in the style, organisation, and operation of policing over the last 10 years this book describes and analyses how the various actors interacted to produce these changes. The book provides detailed evidence about the input by police authorities and other local bodies into the development of policing policy. It focuses on three areas: the growth of crime prevention, new policing responses to crime against women and children, and the increasing use of civilian staff within the police service.