Some futures for the police: Scenarios and science

Abstract

The future of policing raises important issues about the nature of police work and the changing societal context. Talk of new partnership models of engagement must involve downloading tasks into competent and parallel institutional contexts in social services, healthcare, insurance and community organisations but also in enabling, enhancing and trusting an increasingly savvy client community to know what they can do for themselves and in moving away from the control and hierarchy-encrusted procedures of the last century and a half. In the face of an apparently emerging consensus among insiders and experts, it is worth pointing out that many contentious themes such as legitimacy, resourcing and technology still resonate and are not resolved.