The placing of religion in policing and policing studies

Abstract

This article draws attention to the growing significance of religion in the policy and practice of British policing Á a development that has largely escaped academic notice. The authors suggest these developments are significant and worthy of careful scholarly attention, drawing on the disciplines and expertise of both criminology and theology and religious studies, to the mutual enrichment of both. Through such cross-disciplinary engagement a richer picture is possible in which the significance of religion in a number of areas of policing policy and practice may be both recognised and seen to be interrelated. One immediate consequence is suggested: a different context of interpretation for police engagement with faith communities for the purposes of counterterrorism Á the one area of policing where religion emerges as a theme in scholarly study. At the same time, it is suggested that engaging with policing might provide fertile grounding for vibrant discussions of the nature of the secular and of the place of religion in public life that enjoy significant currency in theology and religious studies and the social sciences, especially in Britain, the USA and Scandinavia. The authors draw on their own research on police engagement with faith communities in two metropolitan police service boroughs.

Faith in Policing: The Co-production of Crime Control in Britain

“…In the context of periodic crises in policing Ð characterised by accusations of police racism and mistrust between the police and minority ethnic communities (Scarman, 1981;Macpherson, 1999) Ð an appeal to religious faith has been one aspect of the wider equality and diversity agenda developed by constabularies in their attempt to re-establish their legitimacy. Although a focus on race and ethnicity has often served to obscure the specific place of faith within police work (McFadyen and Prideaux, 2014), constabularies have long been concerned with considering the relevance of religion to contemporary British policing. This concern can be traced back to the controversy surrounding the publication of RushdieÕs The Satanic Verses in the late 1980s, which highlighted the relevance of religious identities, motivations and feelings to the policing sphere, and to policy-making and public life more broadly (McFadyen and Prideaux, 2014: 610).…”

“…This concern can be traced back to the controversy surrounding the publication of RushdieÕs The Satanic Verses in the late 1980s, which highlighted the relevance of religious identities, motivations and feelings to the policing sphere, and to policy-making and public life more broadly (McFadyen and Prideaux, 2014: 610). Rioting in predominantly Pakistani and Bangladeshi areas in Northern English cities in 2001 drew further attention to the place of faith in the construction of British identities Ð at least amongst Muslims Ð and raised questions about the role of policing in promoting community integration and addressing marginalisation and exclusion (McFadyen and Prideaux, 2014).…”

“…Whilst counter-terrorism policies have traditionally emphasised ÔhardÕ policing tactics (such as surveillance, intelligence gathering, and the use of informants), ÔsoftÕ community policing models (which stress interaction, engagement, and partnership) have become dominant (Briggs et al 2006;Lowe and Innes, 2008;Innes and Roberts, 2008;Bettison, 2009;Spalek and Lambert, 2008;Spalek, 2010;Prideaux, 2011, 2014). Consequently, there is now significant crossover between the work directly undertaken, managed or directed by police personnel charged with preventing terrorism and the work undertaken by neighbourhood officers within the context of community policing (McFadyen and Prideaux, 2014).…”

‘Policing Is a Profession of the Heart’: Evangelicalism and Modern American Policing

“…. policing does not figure as a site of significance where many of the most urgent issues might be being played out" (McFadyen and Prideaux 2014). One small sociological study on the experiences of Christian police officers also notes the general dearth of study of religion and policing (McNamara and Tempenis 1999).…”

Dealing with crime, criminals and the criminal justice system through spirituality

“…Essentially, spirituality is seen as crucial for building resilience (Burke and Shakespeare-Finch, 2011; Hesketh et al, 2014; Smith and Charles, 2010) and for promoting a general sense of well-being and optimism (Charles et al, 2014; McDonald, 2015; Padhy et al, 2015) among police officers. While country-specific research on spirituality and police is an emerging area in the field of positive criminology (McFadyen and Prideaux, 2014), there is limited experimental and evidence-based research on what works universally, despite cultural differences. The need for a controlled clinical trial experiment on spirituality for police officers to enable their work functioning was thus foregrounded, which laid the base for the present experiment with police officers across 15 countries.…”