News
Understanding emotion as a strategy in policing
Congratulations to our colleague, Dr. Kevin Sweeney on the publication of his latest article 'Understanding emotion as a strategy in policing' in The Police Journal: Theory, Practice & Principles
This excellent article reviews neuroscience and cognitive psychology literature to understand how trauma and emotion impact policing and why some strategies are counterproductive by threatening police legitimacy. This review further illuminates the pernicious effect of stress in the policing environment, in both officer and citizen. Therefore, the article makes the point that the current focus on tactical training and the ‘warrior ethos’ diminishes community policing values, destroys trust, undermines respect and discourages cooperation while fostering resentment and hostility thus making everyday policing more hazardous. It argues that community policing strategies offer the only path for successful consensus policing in a democracy.
Read the article here: Emotion as a strategy of policing. Kevin Sweeney