P A J Waddington – författare

When people witness occasions when police use their powers to investigate crime and arrest offenders, how do those members of the public assess what they have seen? This book reports research in which a variety of groups from the West Midlands watched short video-clips of such real-life incidents and then discussed their appraisal amongst themselves. What emerges from those discussions is that the practice of policing is deeply controversial. On most issues, group members were divided and strongly, often passionately arguing their case. There was no ''blank cheque'' for the police, neither was there unremitting criticism, even though some of groups comprised young offenders or the homeless. People worried about whether or not the police on the video-clips had justification for their suspicions; how they managed situations to prevent them getting out of hand; and whether any use of force was justified. Allowing the reader to ''hear the voices'' of dissension that were analysed, the authors present implications which are profound for the police and for all those who are policed - suspects, victims, bystanders, and the public at large - as well as practical proposals for police officers and police governance.

When people witness occasions when police use their powers to investigate crime and arrest offenders, how do those members of the public assess what they have seen? This book reports research in which a variety of groups from the West Midlands watched short video-clips of such real-life incidents and then discussed their appraisal amongst themselves. What emerges from those discussions is that the practice of policing is deeply controversial. On most issues, group members were divided and strongly, often passionately arguing their case. There was no ''blank cheque'' for the police, neither was there unremitting criticism, even though some of groups comprised young offenders or the homeless. People worried about whether or not the police on the video-clips had justification for their suspicions; how they managed situations to prevent them getting out of hand; and whether any use of force was justified. Allowing the reader to ''hear the voices'' of dissension that were analysed, the authors present implications which are profound for the police and for all those who are policed - suspects, victims, bystanders, and the public at large - as well as practical proposals for police officers and police governance.

This ground-breaking book offers a practitioner-oriented overview of professional standards in all aspects of policing. With a radical, scenario-based approach, featuring both the extraordinary and the seemingly mundane, it aims to capture some of the complexities and interpretations that form the basis of such professional standards in policing today. Awareness of professional ethics has become not only a central requirement of officers seeking promotion to the senior ranks, but also a necessity within the training framework of UK policing, so the editors have brought together contributions from both practitioners and academics in order stimulate debate and present contrasting views.Split into five parts, each begins with a realistic scenario posing a distinctive dilemma, not just ethical but also legal and political. Ranging from community policing and the use of intelligence to problems arising from the conduct of superiors, the scenarios invite the reader to place themselves in the midst of an acute policing dilemma and asks how they would navigate an appropriate path through it to a desirable end. As the reader considers such questions, contributions from police officers both in the UK and abroad, as well as academics connected to the policing world, offer personal and professional responses to the situation at hand - resulting in wildly differing but no less important opinions. Finally, each of the five parts concludes with commentary from the editors which, rather than offer solutions, seeks to frame both the scenario and response within a more neutral setting. Equally, and perhaps understandably, these commentaries also throw into sharp relief the plethora of opinions and perspectives that have yet to be addressed. Professional Police Practice represents a considered but innovative evaluation of the nature of professional standards within policing, using common, everyday dilemmas that any police officer would recognise. By drawing on a range of opinions, from different areas of policing and different jurisdictions, the editors hope to inspire a degree of reflection and self-examination in anyone, either within policing or connected to it, as they consider the dilemma and their own response to it, and challenge them to recognise similar difficulties in their own operational roles.

This ground-breaking book offers a practitioner-oriented overview of professional standards in all aspects of policing. With a radical, scenario-based approach, featuring both the extraordinary and the seemingly mundane, it aims to capture some of the complexities and interpretations that form the basis of such professional standards in policing today. Awareness of professional ethics has become not only a central requirement of officers seeking promotion to the senior ranks, but also a necessity within the training framework of UK policing, so the editors have brought together contributions from both practitioners and academics in order stimulate debate and present contrasting views.Split into five parts, each begins with a realistic scenario posing a distinctive dilemma, not just ethical but also legal and political. Ranging from community policing and the use of intelligence to problems arising from the conduct of superiors, the scenarios invite the reader to place themselves in the midst of an acute policing dilemma and asks how they would navigate an appropriate path through it to a desirable end. As the reader considers such questions, contributions from police officers both in the UK and abroad, as well as academics connected to the policing world, offer personal and professional responses to the situation at hand - resulting in wildly differing but no less important opinions. Finally, each of the five parts concludes with commentary from the editors which, rather than offer solutions, seeks to frame both the scenario and response within a more neutral setting. Equally, and perhaps understandably, these commentaries also throw into sharp relief the plethora of opinions and perspectives that have yet to be addressed. Professional Police Practice represents a considered but innovative evaluation of the nature of professional standards within policing, using common, everyday dilemmas that any police officer would recognise. By drawing on a range of opinions, from different areas of policing and different jurisdictions, the editors hope to inspire a degree of reflection and self-examination in anyone, either within policing or connected to it, as they consider the dilemma and their own response to it, and challenge them to recognise similar difficulties in their own operational roles.

Have the British police abandoned their commitment to `policing by consent'? The sight of armed and riot police on the streets has led to this question being asked repeatedly over the past decade. However, the secrecy that has surrounded the policy governing armed and public order policing has previously made this a topic of arid speculation rather than informed debate.During his three years' extensive research into the Metropolitan Police, P. A. J. Waddington was given unprecedented access to the hitherto secret world of armed and riot policing. Here he provides a detailed description of police policy, tactics, and weaponry, examining such issues as the selection and training of armed officers, the lethality of police firearms tactics, the growth of paramilitarism, methods of dispersing rioting crowds, and the causes of riots. Dr Waddington's study of the difficulties and dilemmas that arise from the need to ensure effective public order policing while retaining public consent throws new light, from a uniquely informed perspective, on the issues that have aroused public anxiety.

When people witness occasions when police use their powers to investigate crime and arrest offenders, how do those members of the public assess what they have seen? This book reports research in which a variety of groups from the West Midlands watched short video-clips of such real-life incidents and then discussed their appraisal amongst themselves. What emerges from those discussions is that the practice of policing is deeply controversial. On most issues, group members were divided and strongly, often passionately arguing their case. There was no 'blank cheque' for the police, neither was there unremitting criticism, even though some of groups comprised young offenders or the homeless. People worried about whether or not the police on the video-clips had justification for their suspicions; how they managed situations to prevent them getting out of hand; and whether any use of force was justified. Allowing the reader to 'hear the voices' of dissension that were analysed, the authors present implications which are profound for the police and for all those who are policed - suspects, victims, bystanders, and the public at large - as well as practical proposals for police officers and police governance.