Term Paper on "Policing Comparison of Policing Tactics and Difficulties"

Term Paper 6 pages (1691 words) Sources: 4 Style: Harvard

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Policing

Comparison of Policing Tactics and Difficulties Faced by Police Within the U.K. And Middle East

Difficulties of Policing in the UK vs. The Middle East

This paper explores how the difficulties of policing in the UK differ from the difficulties of policing in the Middle East. The paper begins with an overview of policing, followed by an analysis of policing in the UK and the Middle East, and synopsis of the material gathered.

Policing Defined

Governments define policing in multiple ways. Depending on the structure of a government, whether democratic in nature, authoritarian or socialist, policing takes on many different forms. One may define policing in places like the U.K. As any and all actions whose purpose includes maintaining a peaceful enterprise within the land (MPS, 2007). In other regions of the world however, including in the Middle East, historically policing involves many acts of violence and radical activities engaged in to support variant rather than homogenous interpretations of what policing is and isn't. The U.K. policing system and the Middle Eastern policing system are very different, with the former being very organized and the latter being disorganized and comprised of multiple "leaders" or agencies attempting to take authority over what can and should not be done, censored or explored. Thus, the difficulties faced by Middle Eastern agencies, even those that promote a more democratic outlook, are much more trying than those faced by the U.K. policing agencies, in part because the U.K. policing centers face a more organized approach to maintaining the peace. These ideas are explored in greater depth below.

Policing in the UK

To understand how policing might differ in one region to another one must first understand what constitutes policing in each region. According to the Metropolitan Police Society in the UK, policing involves any and all arrangements made to ensure civilians living within the country obey laws and regulations and remain peaceful (MPS, 2007, p.1). Policing may incorporate the use of force to ensure "peace" within society is maintained. British policing originated in early history and is based on certain customs that would allow representatives to maintain order by appointed representatives (MPS, 2007, p.1). During the early 1800s one of the U.K.s earliest innovators of policing suggested that efficient police have a duty to prevent crime, and detect crime, as well as punish those committing a crime in the interests of securing "public tranquility" (MPS, 2007, p.1).

Early policing began in the U.K. By dividing people into what the British referred to as "tythings" or groups of ten people where one person acted as a representative of each responsible for maintaining the peace in the land (MPS, 2007, p.1). A new policing policy was established some time later when conditions within the U.K. became such that simple watching systems did not maintain orderly conduct. The Metropolitan Police Act was formed to create a police force to supervise various districts, eventually creating the City of London Police (MPS, 2007, p.1). In the mid 1990s Sir Paul Condon created "operation bumblebee" to help reduce burglaries experienced within the capital of the UK (MPS, 2007, p.2). Formal objectives were not established by the MPS until roughly 1995, and are maintained today. The UK police use a crime report information system to help record crimes in logically ordered databases (MPS, 2007, p.2). An automated national fingerprint system is also in place to help identify criminals and record criminal activity.

Many consider the UK police a professional service; the policing activities engaged in by UK officials serve to protect communities from violent crime and instill a sense of fairness in policing, such that no one person is singled out because of race, gender or other means. Still, the U.K. like many other countries face many difficult decisions when criminal activity becomes violent, as has been the case since the advent of the "war on terror" initiated within the U.S. (Institute of Race, n.d.). Many feel this change has caused officials in countries including the U.K. To tighten their interpretation of policing, enacting "counter-terrorist measures" (Institute of Race, n.d.). Many consider Muslims a threat to peace, and Islam a threat to Europe because of these actions.

There are many policing agencies within the U.K. presently, including: (1) British transport police, whose role includes protection of transportation; (2) Central Motorway Policing Group, whose role includes regionalized policing capabilities along motorways within the U.K. And (3) the National Crime Squad, whose role includes protecting national citizens from international threats (Police UK, n.d.).

The U.K. policing plan as defined by varying groups including the Central Motorway Police Group is very organized in nature, inclusive of aims and objectives such as denial of criminal activity, reduction of fatalities or causalities, reduction and targeting of anti-social activities, addressing consumer's fears on terrorism and improving and instilling greater confidence among the people living within the U.K., in accordance with a National Intelligence Model (Police U.K., n.d.).

Policing in the Middle East

The enactment of the "war on terror" certainly has impacted the Middle East, home to the Middle East Studies Association, which works to help establish organizations looking to enact legislation that would allow greater government control over "policing" as it currently exists within the Middle East (Institute of Race, n.d.).

Much of policing within the Middle East at present focuses on conflicts within the region that are constantly present within news reports accompanied by discussion about how to "best treat protracted conflicts in the Middle East" (Kerr, 2007). There is evidence that UN Security Council, who established resolutions for proper policing within regions including the Middle East have not been enforced within the Middle East (Kerr, 2007). Having said this, some regions including Lebanon and Iraq are working to help stop victimization that is a constant or has been a constant of citizens living within these regions (Kerr, 2007).

The Middle East, much less so than the U.K., is best described as a troubled region. Problems facing the Middle East include security, terrorism, border control and abuse of visitors and people living within the Middle East, which organizations including the Dubai Police are working to correct in conjunction with Homeland Security and other supportive agencies (Intersec, n.d.). Middle Eastern policing still encompasses much more stringent control of day-to-day activities, including censoring of the media in many cases, where in extreme cases individuals have been punished or imprisoned for speaking out even if merely to express their dissent with the government in a peaceful manner (Exum, 2006, p.1).

Many still characterize policing within the Middle East as authoritarian and radical, given radical groups who often exhibit their opinions through violent criminal activities and actions. There is evidence that within regions of the Middle East policing still involves beating of victims, in rare instances sodomization of victims and other acts of horror (Exum, 2006, p. 1).

Comparison and Analysis of Difficulties Within Each Region

Clearly within the U.K. The problems police address are much different than those various authorities must address within the Middle East. U.K. policing agencies experience a much more unified system of enforcement, where standardized rules and regulations are set in place to ensure proper order is maintained. Because there are several different regions and policing agencies within the U.K., the primary difficulty the U.K. experiences is collaboration between departments to ensure uniform guidelines and objectives are set with regard to policing. Overall, the U.K. faces traditional problems including addressing acts of terror, burglary and violent crime. Because so many agencies exist within the U.K. It may be difficult at times to discern who has authority over a certain region or activity, as may be the case with the Motorway Police for example vs. The National policing agencies.

These difficulties seem relatively minor when compared to the difficulties experienced by policing agencies within the… READ MORE

How to Reference "Policing Comparison of Policing Tactics and Difficulties" Term Paper in a Bibliography

Related Term Papers:

Law Enforcement the Police Essay

Law Enforcement

The police are the most visible sign and symbol of authority in government and society (O'Connor 2008). They exist because they fulfill the role and perform the tasks,… read more

Essay 10 pages (2994 words) Sources: 2 Style: MLA Topic: Crime / Police / Criminal Justice

---

Strategic Assessment of International Policing Essay

Changing Paradigm in International Policing: A Strategic Assessment Paper on International Policing in the Contemporary Environment

The first United Nations peacekeeping mission was dispatched to the Middle East in 1948.… read more

Essay 33 pages (8998 words) Sources: 30 Topic: Military / Army / Navy / Marines

---

Force Police and Other Protectors of Society Term Paper

Force

Police and other protectors of society are in a precarious position of being responsible to protect society, at the cost of utilizing violence to do so. Violence, may in… read more

Term Paper 13 pages (3816 words) Sources: 8 Style: Harvard Topic: Crime / Police / Criminal Justice

---

Entrepreneurial Leadership Styles a Comparative Study of Sweden and China International Business Term Paper

Entrepreneurial Leadership Styles - Comparative Study of Sweden and China

In recent years, researchers have contributed different causes as responsible for the success of a country's economic system, and as… read more

Term Paper 48 pages (13285 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Leadership / Mentoring

---

Jungian Phenomenology and Police Training the Methodologies Term Paper

Jungian Phenomenology and Police Training

The methodologies selected for this study were the meta-synthesis approach developed by Noblit and Hare (1988) and a content analysis technique described by Neuman (2003)… read more

Term Paper 70 pages (23346 words) Sources: 25 Style: APA Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>