Publications

Reassurance policing was trialled in England from 2002 to 2005, emphasizing police visibility and public consultation on locally identified priorities.  In this article, I ask ‘whatever happened to reassurance policing?’  This may seem a strange question to ask. With the expansion of neighbourhood and citizen-focused policing, the policing pledge, and a single public confidence performance target, reassurance policing seems to be alive and well.  However, by focusing on four early intentions for a reassurance approach, I question this assumption.  Reassurance is found to be a part of British policing, but it could be much more.  Contemporary examples where policing could (and perhaps should) be more reassuring are provided.