Convenient constructs: How chief police officers in England and Wales understand the right to exercise power.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Law
Abstract
This Fellowship builds on research that used semi-structured interviews to gather data to answer the question, 'how do chief police officers in England and Wales understand the right of police to exercise power?' All the chief officers interviewed invoked duties to protect the public (particularly the most vulnerable), policing by consent and explanations based in law and associated checks and balances. However, the significant academic contribution made is the finding that these accounts are confused, conflicted and, above all, convenient in helping chief police officers assert a privileged position when making decisions about the use of power. Confusion was evident in vague accounts of vulnerability and hazy notions of consensual policing. Conflict was found between a rhetoric of consent and the practice of coercion. Chief officers' claims that law and associated checks and balances are important in ensuring police power is used properly sat uncomfortably with their distaste for the process of scrutiny and they felt precarious. If police chiefs lack the confidence to resist demands for the disproportionate use of police power against those who tend to be policed more than protected, this has implications for the civil liberties of citizens. It also indicates an unhealthy relationship between police chiefs and those overseeing them, with conflict rather than constructive conversations being common.
The Fellowship will be used to disseminate the findings of this research to academics, police officers and police policy makers and to those responsible for police oversight, with the intention of improving policing in the public interest. This will be done by writing a book based on the thesis, and by publishing an article on the impact of the concept of vulnerability on police practice, in the leading academic journal 'Policing and Society'. Some additional research (including six interviews) will be conducted to underpin this article and to support the discussion of vulnerability covered in the book. A further article will be written for 'Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice', the leading practitioner-focused, academic journal. The latter article will examine the precarious position that police chief officers reported they are in and will explore the implications this has for civil liberties. The research will also be disseminated and exposed to scrutiny at international academic conferences.
These publications will be supplemented by organising workshops, seminars and a symposium on police legitimacy and will be supported by a short policy focused research findings document and use of blogs. These activities will bring academics, police officers and policy makers together to discuss the implications of the research for policing practise. Using contacts and credibility developed during a policing career, latterly as a Deputy Chief Constable, and though subsequent work with the Inspectorate of Constabulary and when conducting research for the PhD, meetings will be arranged to discuss the implications of the research with Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, the Chief Executive Officer of the College of Policing, and the Chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council.
The Fellowship will also be used to develop the skills and networks that are required for a research career. To support this collaborative work will be undertaken with other academics to explore aspects of the methodology and ethical issues dealt with during the research, notably the position of a researcher who used to be member of the group being studied. Other work will involve consideration of international studies looking at the use and abuse of police power.
Full use will be made of the development opportunities that are provided for early career researchers through the Leeds Social Sciences Institute, the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership and the N8 Policing Research Partnership, to improve my research and related skills.
The Fellowship will be used to disseminate the findings of this research to academics, police officers and police policy makers and to those responsible for police oversight, with the intention of improving policing in the public interest. This will be done by writing a book based on the thesis, and by publishing an article on the impact of the concept of vulnerability on police practice, in the leading academic journal 'Policing and Society'. Some additional research (including six interviews) will be conducted to underpin this article and to support the discussion of vulnerability covered in the book. A further article will be written for 'Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice', the leading practitioner-focused, academic journal. The latter article will examine the precarious position that police chief officers reported they are in and will explore the implications this has for civil liberties. The research will also be disseminated and exposed to scrutiny at international academic conferences.
These publications will be supplemented by organising workshops, seminars and a symposium on police legitimacy and will be supported by a short policy focused research findings document and use of blogs. These activities will bring academics, police officers and policy makers together to discuss the implications of the research for policing practise. Using contacts and credibility developed during a policing career, latterly as a Deputy Chief Constable, and though subsequent work with the Inspectorate of Constabulary and when conducting research for the PhD, meetings will be arranged to discuss the implications of the research with Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, the Chief Executive Officer of the College of Policing, and the Chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council.
The Fellowship will also be used to develop the skills and networks that are required for a research career. To support this collaborative work will be undertaken with other academics to explore aspects of the methodology and ethical issues dealt with during the research, notably the position of a researcher who used to be member of the group being studied. Other work will involve consideration of international studies looking at the use and abuse of police power.
Full use will be made of the development opportunities that are provided for early career researchers through the Leeds Social Sciences Institute, the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership and the N8 Policing Research Partnership, to improve my research and related skills.
People |
ORCID iD |
Ian Shannon (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Shannon I
(2021)
Democratic Oversight and Political Direction of Chief Police Officers in England and Wales: Implications for Police Legitimacy
in Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice
Description | This research adds to knowledge about chief police officers in England and Wales by exploring their understandings of the right of police to exercise power. Their beliefs, motivations, backgrounds, and cultures are examined. Light is cast on how they perceive power, coercion, control, policing purpose, gendered understandings, protecting people, vulnerability, policing by consent, discretion, operational independence, law and the oversight and political direction (or governance) and accountability of police. Chief officers used three legitimating narratives based on protecting people, particularly the most vulnerable; policing by consent; and law and the oversight and political direction of police, these accounts are assessed. Damaged processes of police governance that risk undermining police leadership and legitimacy are revealed. Critically chief officers' understandings of legitimacy are found to be confused, conflicted, and, above all, convenient in supporting them in asserting a privileged position from which they can pursue their preferences for the use of power. |
Exploitation Route | There are seven recommendations made in the monograph to improve police leadership, practice and governance. I continue to try and push these recommendations and associated research findings by influencing policy makers, practitioners and other academics. |
Sectors | Government Democracy and Justice |
Description | The first published paper from this research project has been read by the Home Office team conducting a review of the roles and responsibilities of police and crime commissioners and they have e-mailed me to say they will contact me again after the second phase of the review starts in May 2021, as they found the paper interesting and wished to discuss it further. The paper has also been circulated to all members of the Home Affairs Select Committee by its secretariat. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary has also seen the paper and the Chief Executive of the College of Policing has also read the paper with interest. It is not yet clear what public and policy impact this will lead to. It is hoped that more interest will be generated following publication of a book which is an intended outcome of this award , which is due to be submitted to Palgrave Macmillan by July 2021. The paper (and in due course the book) makes recommendations for policy and practice relating to police governance and police leadership. The second publication, the monograph, has now been read by a range of policy makers and practitioners and academics. I continue to have meetings with those who can influence policy and practice and I use the seven recommendations that conclude the monograph to support me in this process. It is too early to say what the overall impact will be. |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Government, Democracy and Justice |
Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
Description | Police Leadership Symposium |
Organisation | Police Foundation |
Country | United States |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | I have worked with the N8 Police Research Partnership and The Police Foundation, with support from the School of Law at the University of Leeds to set up a Police Leadership Symposium and I have completed a short paper for discussion at the Symposium and will lead a session discussing this paper. The symposium has now been delayed twice due to Covid restrictions, it has now been rescheduled to 16 March 2021, although this date is now also in doubt. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Police Foundation are chairing the event and they have organised the invitations to the symposium and submitted a paper for discussion. Invitees who have agreed to attend include HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, several chief constables (serving and retired), senior representatives from the Home Office and the Independent Office for Police Conduct and eminent academics in the field of policing and leadership research. The N8 PRP have provided administrative support and some academics from the N8 PRP are attending. The University of Leeds (thanks to the support of Professor Adam Crawford) have sourced funding to support the event. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Conference input |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I led a session and presented a paper at the N8 Police Research Partnership annual conference, which was conducted virtually due to Covid restrictions. The session and paper (which was circulated in advance) looked at the affects of police governance on chief police officers and on police legitimacy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |