The Police Revolution

Peter Evans argues that the traditional relationship between the police and the public was being threatened in 1974 due to increasing violence and sophistication of crime, protest, and terrorism. He believes that successive governments have not given the police the support they deserve, leading to a widening gap between police and public and contributing to pressures that tempt some officers to err. The author felt there was both time and need for reform in the decade before 1984, and the book can be read in its historical context.

Format: Hardback
Length: 190 pages
Publication date: 31 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Peter Evans' 1974 book explores the changing relationship between the police and the public, highlighting the dangers of a deteriorating situation. He examines the pressures and influences that led many policemen to question their role in society, particularly in the face of increasingly violent and sophisticated crime, protest, and terrorism. Evans argues that the police are a minority, semi-closed community with a strong sense of tradition and a unique slang. Their jobs have been established in Victorian times and are now faced with rapid technological change, making them a "revolution" for the force. However, the police must maintain a manpower-intensive approach to ensure valuable contact with the public. They must also remain craftsmen rather than technicians.

Evans criticizes successive governments for not providing the police with the necessary resources and support, leading to a widening gap between the two. He argues that this shortage of men has left London particularly under-patrolled, contributing to the pressures that tempt some officers to err. While there is nothing wrong with the traditions of the police, some policemen may not live up to them. Evans believes that the police need more resources and opportunities to apply these traditions, ensuring that the unique character of British policing is not lost.

In conclusion, Peter Evans' book provides a valuable insight into the changing relationship between the police and the public, highlighting the dangers of a deteriorating situation. He argues that the police must maintain a manpower-intensive approach, remain craftsmen, and receive the necessary resources and support from successive governments to ensure that the unique character of British policing is not lost.

Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032451060