Sector policing and public accountability

Abstract

[Traditional British policing is relatively low on numbers, low on power and high on accountability;…..it is undertaken with public consent which does not mean acquiescence but a broad tolerance indicating a satisfaction with the helping and enforcement roles of policing.” (Joint Consultative Committee 1990:4) Perhaps it is time to return to basics and to reassign every constable to a geographical area ‐ making them all ‘community constables’. (Waddington 1993: 189) A new style of geographic or sector policing introduced by London's Metropolitan Police Service represents a fresh attempt to re‐establish policing by consent. This paper assesses the extent to which it has succeeded. Research conducted by the authors on the introduction of sector policing reveals that neither the new institutional structure put in place by sector policing, nor changes in the deployment of front line officers, seem likely to succeed in achieving this aim. Resistance to change in the relationship between police and public by op...