Understanding the Process of Professionalisation in the Police Organisation

Abstract

The push toward professionalisation of policing is an expanding discourse in western societies. Professions, as opposed to trades, crafts or occupations, have particular characteristics, some of which have eluded policing and must be considered if the police are to reach this goal. Characteristics of a profession include a professional association, cognitive base, institutionalised training, licensing, work autonomy, colleague control, a code of ethics and high standards of professional and intellectual excellence. Further, professionalisation requires the alignment of various aspects of professional practice (Schneider, 2009). Tertiary education and the development of a body of discipline knowledge through research are crucial components of this. This paper examines some of the issues which have previously prevented police adopting a full professional model. It also examines the increasing involvement in the university sector by the police practitioner, which would seem to indicate some ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and room for optimism for the future.

Extending the remit of evidence-based policing

“…By this they mean that policing tasks are intimately connected to a healthy relationship between the citizen and the state and a policing mandate is connected to propriety, human rights, procedural justice and legitimacy. As mentioned in the introduction, Green and Gates (2014) itemise ethics as an essential component of being a profession. The College of Policing, in publishing a code of ethics for the police, commits the service to nine governing principles; accountability, fairness, honesty, integrity, leadership, objectivity, openness, respect and selflessness.…”

Becoming the Camera: Body Worn Video and Shifting Expectations of Police Work

“…Further, Feuille and Juris (1976) argue that, "from the group's point of view, such collective autonomy is desirable for having it means that the group is able to exercise considerable control over the professional-client relationship, rather than having outsiders exercise such control" (p. 91). The quest for power and autonomy through professionalization has been a main consideration for police (Brown 1981;Feuille & Juris 1976;Green & Gates 2014;Manning 1977;Potts 1982;Price 1977).…”

“…As Green and Gates (2014) aptly point out, law enforcement organizations have a history of requiring public outcry and political pressure in order to provoke any meaningful change to their methods. Taking law enforcement's history of requiring substantial external pressure in order to make any alterations in the field of policing, it is not surprising that the adoption of BWV is regularly framed as a response or solution to recent incidents of officer misconduct.…”

“…However, the reality of BWV is that it can only be effective as a measure of accountability if it is being used and controlled by those who really value that level of accountability. The lack of discussion regarding solutions at the institutional level, like overhauling a problematic occupational culture, suggests that there will be no real accountability despite the implementation of BWV (Chan 1996(Chan , 1997Green & Gates 2014).…”

“…Although BWV is presented as a tool that will facilitate additional accountability, it is more likely that police organizations see these devices as a means to avoid meaningful reform. Rather than a solution to a lack of transparency, BWV offers police the opportunity to take back a level of control, a well-established goal among police organizations (Feuille & Juris 1976;Green & Gates 2014). This solution in no way calls for changes to police culture or behaviour, it will only provide an official account of the continuing state of police practices.…”