NCJ Number
129981
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 64 Issue: 2 Dated: (April-June 1991) Pages: 124-133
Date Published
1991
Length
10 pages
Annotation
With all of the attention paid by the public and various Home Secretaries toward restructuring the British Police Service, it is important for officers of that Service to consider what constitutes professionalism in policing.
Abstract
Modern policing is a complex operation, combining national security, crime control, disaster management, continuous public service, education and public relations, and countless technical specializations. An overview of the 1930's reorganization of the metropolitan (London) police department highlights many of these issues. Calling the development of a corpus of knowledge and ethics the two essential elements of professionalism, the author calls upon police forces in Britain to recruit selectively and train rigorously in order to codify a set of officer standards.