Plural policing: a State-of-the-Art Review

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the systematic review on the topic of plural policing. The authors aim to discuss the general characteristics of empirical research into plural policing and describe the way in which police literature deals with the questions related to plural policing. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic review, including qualitative research, focused on empirical research results. Findings – First of all, plural policing has been subject of study in a diversity of contexts, using multiple methods and treating very diverse research questions. Although the dangers of blurring boundaries between policing actors is a focal issue in contemplative papers, empirical research on plural policing does not focus on this issue but mentions it in the margins of the research results. Research limitations/implications – Limitations are that the authors had to set a timeframe for the systematic review and that not all research was accessible. Furthermore, the authors had to limit the studies that could be included in this systematic review. Social implications – One of the main research questions relates to the dangers of blurring boundaries between multiple policing actors. This has important implications for citizens in their relations and contacts with police actors (in terms of transparency, equality of rights and so on). Originality/value – The paper gives a first insight into a domain that is written on extensively, but less empirically studied and sheds light on the studies that have taken the topic of plural policing as the focal point.

Who is Policing the Community? A Comprehensive Review of Discrimination in Police Departments

“…We differentiate between studies focusing primarily on promotion and studies broadly focused on organizational dynamics. We synthesize articles under this section by the following subsections: a) workforce diversity (Allen, ; Boels & Verhage, ; Coon, ; Guajardo, , , c; Gustafson, ; Kringen & Kringen, ; O'Neill & Holdaway, ; Polk, ; Wilson et al, ); b) community policing & minority police representation (Allen, ; Black & Kari, ; Thompson, ; Wilson et al, ); c) complaints about police & minority police representation (Hickman & Piquero, ; Lersch, ; O'Brien, ; Rojek & Decker, ); d) workplace environment; e) police attitudes and job satisfaction (Lasley et al, ; Schlosser, ); and f) employment practices and retention (Cohen, ; Kerr et al, ; O'Neill & Holdaway, ; Wilson & Heinonen, ; Wilson & Henderson, ). We highlight representative studies and not discuss each study independently.…”

Just ‘students, old timers, and sammies’? Exploring the role of stewards and private matchday security in the plural policing of Scottish football

“…We have argued that such developments, considered together, represent a paradigm example of plural policing. Boels and Verhage (2016) astutely highlighted that the literature on plural policing discloses a desire in public policing to withdraw provision around particular tasks. However, our analysis also notes a pressure from outside the public police to withdraw public policing functions and responsibilities, and to replace them with private security.…”

“…Boels and Verhage’s systematic review (2016) also provides a useful starting point from which to appraise the literature on plural policing. This systematic review, which examined relevant literature from 2000 to 2015, located and analysed 31 empirical studies of plural policing.…”

“…Many of the common themes identified in Boels and Verhage’s review are pertinent, either directly or indirectly, to our analysis and discussion of football stewarding. In their systematic review, Boels and Verhage (2016) concluded that there is a strong need for more empirical research on this subject, and especially through qualitative methods. The literature on plural policing published since 2015 addresses, at least in part, this issue.…”

A state-of-the-art review on police accountability

“…Reviews on topics concerning the police have already been conducted; for example, regarding plural policing and community-oriented policing (Boels and Verhage, 2016; Gill et al, 2014). Although a systematic overview of empirical research on police accountability may complement these previous reviews, such a review is, to our knowledge, missing.…”