NCJ Number
129840
Date Published
1990
Length
175 pages
Annotation
This book argues against the effectiveness of a police paramilitary structure in dealing with public disorder.
Abstract
This book charts the development of paramilitary policing in Great Britain, linking it particularly with the policing of public order and industrial conflict in the 1980's. Central to the analysis is a thorough account of the diverse theoretical positions concerning paramilitarism and their consequences in operational policies and practices. Useful to this discussion is the introduction of comparative international material. The discussion assesses the impact of the paramilitary option on the police in terms of the escalation of violence and the emergence of resistance. In arguing against the shift toward authoritarianism within contemporary policing, the discussion explores what is unique in this shift and what makes it distinct from the historical, latent paramilitarism of drill, uniforms, and rank. The philosophy behind the paramilitary response suggests that the training, discipline, and specialization entailed ensures that the response is maximally effective and reflective of the tradition of "impartial policing by consent." This book argues that the reverse occurs under paramilitary policing as the paramilitary approach to public disorder tends to foster hostility and divisiveness in the community. Evidence for this argument is drawn from analyses of a range of public disorder events that encompass the political, industrial, and social arenas. Chapter notes, 96 references, and a subject index