A Brief History

Abstract

Maintaining law and order in the EU depends on policing systems which have been in constant transition for hundreds of years. Over time with the introduction of institutional changes and innovations in constitutional issues, an element of similarity in policing methods, processes and responsibilities has been established in many member states. Europeanisation and globalisation have also had a major impact on policing as crime has followed in tandem with liberated markets, with the resultant unrestricted movement of goods, people, business, money and other resources. However, there is a resistance from many member states to create common police structures within the EU as this would be a move towards centralisation. As far back as 1997 Cope et al. spoke of a ‘new policing order’ that confirmed the ‘trend towards greater centralisation of policing with central government increasing its influence over policing at the expense of local government (Cope et al. 1997: 456). This increase in government control does not come alone but is accompanied by decentralisation, privatisation and Europeanisation, which acts on occasions as a counterbalance to the centralisation trend and could result in competition between the many actors involved, such as government, local government, police forces, private sector, security services, Europol, Interpol and Border Agencies. This then begs the question — what will happen to local municipal policing and where does it fit in the expanding world of policing in the EU?