From 'iron fists' to 'bunches of fives': A critical reflection on dialogue (or liaison) approaches to policing political protest

This article focuses on the recent academic assertion that police attempts to engage in dialogue before and during protest events (ostensibly to facilitate the participants’ preferred means of political expression) are perhaps more realistically concerned with collecting useful intelligence about demonstrators’ likely motives and activities, and preparing advance justification for possible police interventions. A case study is presented of the work carried out by a 15-person South Yorkshire Police ‘Police Liaison Team’ (PLT) in relation to the ‘anti-Lib Dem’ political protest occurring in the major English city of Sheffield in March 2011. Using a combination of participant observation and interviews with police and demonstrators, the study highlights compelling similarities between the tactical approach and underlying objectives of the PLT and those subscribed to by public order specialists in the Metropolitan Police Service in the early 1990s. In common with their ‘Met’ counterparts, the PLT used carefully cultivated exchange relationships with protest organisers as means of gathering intelligence, securing compliance with police preferences for the routes of marches and establishing parameters of ‘acceptable’ behaviour. However, by using the relatively new tactic of immersing themselves in the crowd, PLT members were also able to maintain ‘open’ lines of communication with protesters and provide a stream of unerringly accurate ‘dynamic risk assessments’ to remote senior commanders. This tactic helped to ensure that there were few unsettling ‘surprises’ on both sides, that there were no unnecessary, indiscriminate or over-punitive police interventions, and that the police operation was ultimately regarded by protest organisers as having been exceptionally tolerant and ‘facilitating’

From “Sad People on Bridges” to “Kidnap and Extortion”:Understanding the Nature and Situational Characteristics of Hostage and Crisis Negotiator Deployments

Hostage and crisis negotiation is well established as a police tool, and there is a growing body of literature that provides academic insight into the phenomenon. Academics have developed a corpus of literature to explain the way negotiators operate/how they can resolve incidents successfully. Whilst research in this area has originated from various countries, and addressed negotiation from a variety of perspectives, there is limited research that has focused specifically on negotiation from an Anglo-centric perspective. This paper presents the findings from a detailed academic examination of negotiator experiences in England, whereby semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 negotiators from nine forces. Analysis using grounded theory revealed twelve deployment categories, situated within a recurring context involving subjects experiencing personal, emotional or psychological crisis. These categories can be used to enhance our understanding of negotiator deployment in England and are discussed with reference to the implications for negotiator training and practice

“There’s Nothing That Compares to it”: A Grounded Theoretical Analysis of the Experiences of Police Hostage and Crisis Negotiators

Purpose Hostage and crisis negotiators serve a vital function within society by resolving hostage/crisis incidents. This role, performed by specially trained police ‘volunteers’ helps to prevent numerous fatalities, and forms an important part of the modern policing repertoire. There is limited research that identifies the experiences of police officers that dedicate their lives to saving others by volunteering in this capacity. The current research, therefore, provides an insight into this fundamental police role using negotiator’s personal narratives. Design/methodology/approach This study consisted of an exploratory qualitative grounded theoretical analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 negotiators from nine English police forces. Findings The analysis revealed three primary, seven secondary and 23 tertiary categories that form a conceptual model of the negotiator experience. The three primary categories consisted of ‘negotiator positives’, ‘negotiator negatives’ and ‘negotiator ambivalences’, which provide an insight into the experiences and identities of negotiators in England. Practical implications The findings identify several positive factors that could be used to market the role more effectively within police forces and enhance future recruitment processes. Equally, the findings highlight several operational and organisational issues that have a negative impact on the negotiator experience. The findings are, therefore, discussed in light of the practical implications for negotiator training/continuing professional development, policy and practice. Originality/value This paper depicts the findings from one of the first qualitative analyses of negotiator experiences and provides a unique insight into the negotiator role from an Anglo-centric perspective

Does the police service need a values-based decision-making model: if so, what should that model look like?

UK policing lacked a single decision making model which explicitly required decision makers to consider values affecting their judgement. Motivation for the applied aspect of this work was to develop such a model. The wider research concerned the identification of the values underpinning policing. Consequently, it was essential to understand how values were engaged with and reflected by policing. Policing here was defined as a profession and a preliminary hypothesis for the research was that a single set of values would cross cut the service. An analysis of the stated police values across services in the UK indicated this was not the case. A review of the literature confirmed that in reality, officers take decisions that require discretion. Whilst this was necessary to ensure legitimacy, little training was offered in the application and understanding of discretion. From the literature it was apparent policing reflected various ethical theories at different times. However the service slanted towards the deontological. This position which argues this was reflected within interviews undertaken for the research. From the data, conclusions were drawn that policing was predicated on the three values of integrity, fairness and respect; values which were also reflected in submissions made by members of internet based professional networks. Interviews and focus groups also established that 'service values', i.e. those which underpinned the generic delivery of policing, were insufficient to guide officers in decision making on the ground. This research demonstrated that policing would benefit from a values-based decision-making model. The model was developed, piloted and evaluated in parallel with research for this thesis. As a result of the study, knowledge has been added to policing through the development of this model. It now forms a component of the recently endorsed National Decision Making Model for policing (ACPO Professional Ethics:National Decision Model 2012) and has become part of the curriculum for accredited firearms and senior leadership training in Scotland. Additionally, integrity and fairness have been included in the Scottish Government's proposed new Oath of Constable. As a result of this research, the author is involved with Government in developing definitions for these terms