ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses largely on the police; but one should bear in mind that the police are rarely the only official body engaged in policing in any society. The author examines private policing and emerging architectures of security and community safety as well. It is important to distinguish between police and policing. Policing implies a set of processes with specific social functions. Zero tolerance policing is a generic term for a policing style that is proactive, confident and assertive. While American theorist James Q. Wilson described the viewpoints that were subsequently to be labelled as zero tolerance policing, not all of its proponents have actually adopted the term. Private security personnel do not have police powers but play important roles in maintaining public order and crime prevention. The private-security industry consists of an eclectic range of sectors offering services and products. Diversity characterises police origins and their role in various countries.
