Psychological Aspects of Police Peace-Keeping Overseas
| Author | Antony J. Taylor |
| Date | 01 October 1989 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X8906200410 |
| Published date | 01 October 1989 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
ANTONY
J.
TAYLOR
PhD.
Professor
of
Clinical Psychology,
Victoria University, Wellington,
N.z.
Psychological Aspects of Police
Peace-Keeping Overseas
Abstract
The extension of the role of the police from preserving the peace at
home to that of preserving the peaceabroad broughtimplications to which
the present paper is addressed. These include the acceptance of
responsibility by individuals, by groups, and by the employing authority
in the selection, preparation, maintenance, and return of phrases of such
an assignment. They involve lessons that can be transferred from
comparable phases in the work of people who serve with Volunteer
Service Abroad in exotic places such as Antarctica, and who work with
indigenous groups.
From their inception in the 1840's by Sir RobertPeel, the function of
the Police has been to preserve law and order, to safeguard people from
attack, and to protect property. They began in major cities within
countries, and gradually extended their work to cover minor cities, towns
and villages. Then they established international links to bring to trial
fugitives who sought sanctuary in other countries. And ateach stage of
development the Police undertook more elaborate organizational and
practical training to equip them for the task that lay ahead.
In keeping with such progressive development, it was no surprise to
find the New Zealand Government responding in a positive way to the
request from the Secretary-General of United Nations on February 16
1989 for a contingent of 38 officers to join
irs
Transitional Assistance
Group to South West Africa (Namibia). They were to join a group of 500
Policeand 4, 150others, and their function was to ensure the good conduct
of the existing police force in Namibia, and to accompany and observe
them when appropriate in the discharge of their duties.
The New Zealand police had previously sent a similar group to
Cyprus to help to keep the peace between warring factions of Cypriot
Greeks and Turks, and it had not found this task beyond its competence.
By selection and training the policewere more accustomed than the armed
forces to work with civilians, and they had even acquired experience in
dealing with militant and organized environmental protestors as distinct
from violent members of criminal gangs. Although, for the latter, they
were required to be trained in the use of firearms and methods of riot
control, their major skill when dealing with all types of offender was to
appy the principles of impartiality, fairness and firmness.
But just as the Police at home were obliged to study the laws, the
culture, the history, the social circumstances, the individual characteristics,
and the modus operandi of offenders, so those going abroad were obliged
October 1989
319
To continue reading
Request your trial