Policing for Shared Societies: An Institutional Approach to Reform

Abstract

In many societies policing is a problematic and frequently contested issue. The police are typically viewed as the protectors of the status quo, both of the established government and of the propertied and privileged classes. They are rarely popular with opponents of the government or with poorer and less privileged communities. They are also typically a closed, self-protective and self-perpetuating institution with high degrees of self-esteem and strong internal cultures. As a result, they are often prone to use high levels of violence in carrying out their operations and to be open to multiple forms of corruption. And since they are the primary body responsible for law enforcement, they are difficult to hold to account. Prosecutions of police officers are notoriously difficult to pursue to conviction and internal disciplinary procedures are often viewed as ineffective.