Constraints to Community-Orientated Policing
| Author | M. Taylor |
| Published date | 01 April 1992 |
| Date | 01 April 1992 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X9206500207 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
PROFESSOR
M.
TAYLOR
Department
of
Applied Psychology, University College, Cork
CONSTRAINTS TO COMMUNITY·
ORIENTATED POLICING
This paper is a series of reflections about some problems of community
policingas I see them, basedon work Ihave been involvedin with a variety
of
police forces over the years. The perspective adopted is essentially
psychological, and is based on the author's experience
of
policing in
difficult and hostile environments. The view taken here is that insights
into the nature
of
the policing function in extreme environments give a
useful perspective from which to view initiativesin more normal settings,
because itis in such extremesituations where thefundamental qualities of
police work emerge. Although this paper is not particularly empirically
based, Ibelieve many of the points made do have empirical support from
my own work, and from that of others.
Taking such a perspective on policing is of course both partial and
incomplete. Extreme policing environments are not that common, and
most European police agencies function in facilitating and broadly
supportive environments. Even though the extreme circumstances of
policing may be relatively rarely met, however, we should not lose sight
of the considerable areas of intense social stress which most countries
contain, and which represent major tests to our ways
of
conceptualizing
the policing function. But this is not the central issue
of
concern to us.
These broadly supportive environmentsenable both compromise and less
narrow perspectives to be taken, and do not force the issue to points
of
stress, as in the case in extreme settings.
The capacity to sustain supportive environments for police work must
be a critical quality ofthepolice function indemocracies. The fundamental
principle on which this paper is based is that the establishment and
maintenance
of
apositive relationship between the police and the
community is a necessary and essential element
of
the policing function.
Sustaining such a relationshipis the principle task that will face the police,
in my view, in what mightbe atime ofincreasing stress tothe police forces
of
Europe. It is not my intention in what follows to question this basic
assumption.
In the Republic
of
Ireland in particular, we are fortunate in not yet
having many of the serious problems faced in other parts
of
Europe, and
the Garda Siochana enjoy an unusually broad, and probably unique,
degree
of
publicsupport, despite the strains on lawenforcement caused by
the continuing civil disorder in Northern Ireland. All the more reason to
nurture it, of course. This short preamble establishes the context to this
paper; this broader context will
of
course temper the discussion, but does
not in my view invalidate it.
154 ThePoliceJournal
April
1992
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