Police community relations
Our research looks at how the police can improve public confidence, and build good relationships between themselves and local communities.
Relations between the police and the public have been a prominent issue in the UK since the 1970s and especially since episodes of urban unrest in the 1980s. The Scarman report into serious disorder in Brixton, south London, in 1981 highlighted a breakdown in communication between the police and the local community. More recently, the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry emphasised the lack of trust and confidence amongst Black and Minority Ethnic groups in the police, particularly in relation to stop and search and racist incidents. The need for the police to be more accountable to the public is still high on the policy agenda.
Public accountability involves:
- the conduct of police officers and how they treat citizens – this affects public perceptions of trust, fairness and legitimacy
- police performance and the quality of the service they give – this has an impact on public perceptions of confidence and effectiveness
We have conducted research in both these areas.
On officers’ treatment of citizens, we have examined:
- misconduct and corruption
- stop and search
- the impact of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
On police service delivery, we have looked at:
- police authorities and their community engagement role
- public reassurance
Please note that research on operational policing is now carried out by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA).
Key
publications
- Assessing the impact of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, Home Office Research Study 294, 2005
- Reassuring the public – a review of international policing interventions, Home Office Research Study 284, 2004
- The role of police authorities in public engagement, Home Office Online Report 37/03, 2003
- Promoting ethical policing: summary findings of research on new misconduct procedures and police corruption, Home Office Online Report 12/03, 2003
- Police Stops and Searches: Lessons from a programme of research, Home Office Briefing Note, 2000
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