Policing Empires: Militarization, Race, and the Imperial Boomerang in Britain and the US

The police response to protests has made the militarization of policing transparent, but proper demilitarization requires a deeper understanding of its historical development, causes, and social logics. Policing Empires offers a postcolonial historical sociology of police militarization in Britain and the United States to aid this effort. Julian Go tracks when, why, and how British and US police departments have adopted military tactics, tools, and technologies for domestic use, revealing that police militarization has occurred since the nineteenth century and is an effect of the imperial boomerang.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 392 pages
Publication date: 23 November 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The militarization of policing has become increasingly apparent in response to protests that have erupted on America's streets in recent years. However, a comprehensive demilitarization of the police requires a deeper understanding of its historical development, causes, and social logics. Policing Empires provides a postcolonial historical sociology of police militarization in Britain and the United States to contribute to this effort.

Julian Go's book delves into the timing, reasons, and methods by which British and US police departments have incorporated military tactics, tools, and technologies into their domestic operations. Go's research reveals that police militarization has been a persistent phenomenon since the nineteenth century, extending into the present day. He attributes this phenomenon to the imperial boomerang, whereby police departments have adopted military practices in response to perceived racialized threats from minority and immigrant populations.

Policing Empires thus unveils a hidden truth about police militarization: Police have militarized themselves by bringing imperial practices home in response to perceived threats from marginalized communities. This book offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of police militarization and its implications for democratic societies. By examining the historical roots and social logics of police militarization, Policing Empires provides a foundation for policymakers, activists, and scholars to work towards a more demilitarized and accountable police force.

Weight: 558g
Dimension: 156 x 235 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197621660