Trust Through Intelligence?

It would be understandable to view community policing and counter-terrorism policing as two distinct concepts which are intrinsically situated at opposites poles in the world of policing. While one invokes cultures such as transparency, public engagement and visibility, the other is traditionally considered as a series of clandestine operations more akin to the intelligence-led policing model. This paper will argue that the two policing strategies are in fact compatible. With a shift in the nature of terrorism itself apparent, the contemporary lone wolf attacker is not only a deadly threat, but one which is incredibly difficult to detect using methods such as background checks and covert investigation. This is due to a lack of communication and/or physical ties between attackers, a high level of isolation stemming from affinity to extremist ideologies, combined with self-struggle and anger. In order to combat prospective attacks, effective preventative measures must be implemented in both geographical and social spaces. Such measures warrant the implementation of community policing philosophies which can help establish trust and promote co-operation, leading to accurate, reliable community intelligence, as well as reassurance and security for the members of the community itself.

From Neighbourhood to National Security

This chapter explores how developments in Neighbourhood Policing articulate with other aspects of the police function. In particular, it examines the ways in which Neighbourhood Policing type approaches have influenced attempts to tackle serious and organized crime, and the evolution of the Prevent strand of the United Kingdom’s counter-terrorism programme. The channels of communication afforded by the Neighbourhood Policing model afford a unique opportunity to access and acquire community intelligence, which might otherwise be difficult for police to acquire by more traditional or covert methods. Informed by this focus, the chapter goes on to explore the concept of the co-production of social control, utilizing empirical case studies to illustrate how a more ‘blended policing’ approach from neighbourhood officers can lend itself to supporting interventions directed towards broader risks and threats.