Book Review: Police Occupational Culture; Research and Practice
| Date | 01 September 2020 |
| Author | Nary Lou |
| Published date | 01 September 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X20932627 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
Book Review
Book Review
Cockcroft T (2020) Police Occupational Culture; Research and Practice. Bristol: Policy Press
Reviewed by: Nary Lou , Metropolitan Police Service, London, UK
DOI: 10.1177/0032258X20932627
Police culture continues to attract significant interest from scholars and practitioners. It
has previously been argued that the key reason why such importance is afforded to this
slippery concept is because it is ‘where the action is’ (Westmarland, 2008). The sheer
breadth and depth of interest in police culture (or cultures) is testimony to this assertion.
Policing as an activity, and the police as an institution, must balance constancy and
predictability with adaptation and change. The drivers for change emerge with increas-
ing speed and subtle trajectory, yet the craft of ‘professionalisation’ continues to sail
rather than motor and police culture remains a critical feature of the organisation that can
simultaneously hinder and facilitate professionalisation.
More than half a century since the seminal publication of Police Administration by
O. W. Wilson which helped shape the basis for the professionalisation agenda, progress
continues to be made (Wilson and McClaren, 1976). However, for many commentators
little has been accomplished and police organisations have not been transformed. A
sceptic could argue that academic and research interest in police cultures as a concept
worthy of attention, is rooted in this reality. Police Occupational Culture; Research and
Practice by Tom Cockcroft provides a critical review of how police occupational culture
is shaping and influencing the strategic direction of policing.
Cockroft has published widely on this specific subject and yet, swiftly demonstrates
the requirement for such an accessible and succinct text in order to keep pace with the
debates being consistently generated. Cockcroft is quick to point out that such ‘new
developments in police professionalisation, education and leadership seem firmly rooted
in the need to respond to the challenges that are associated with the concept of police
occupational culture’ (p. 1). Specifically, the text considers the advent of the Police
Educational Qualification Framework (PEQF) citing it as the cornerstone of the current
professionalisation agenda. Evidence Based Policing (EBP) is also singled out in the
introduction as a substantial change and worthy of recognition in terms of the perennial
debate as to whether research has established itself firmly in the hierarchy of knowledge
at the expense of practice-based experience.
With such a short text comes the challenge of scope and therefore a lot of thought has
been given to the supporting structure, themes covered and general flow of the book.
The Police Journal:
Theory, Practice and Principles
2020, Vol. 93(3) 265–267
ªThe Author(s) 2020
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