Policing the Lucky Country

Book excerpt: Policing The Lucky Country addresses key challenges of contemporary Australian policing, and places them within the context of Australia's particular culture and history. The book's approach is to combine policing case studies with an analysis of the wider social and political environment. Policing students are given information which enables them to think critically about contemporary policing practice and to understand the factors behind pervasive attitudes in the forces and the community. In this way, it aims to increase each officer's range of responses, leading to appropriate policing practices and increased safety for the officer. One of the key strengths of the book is the discussion of policing and indigenous persons, with articles on policing indigenous peoples and indigenous participation in policing. Specific police-indigenous clashes are examined and situated within the Aboriginal policies of the day. This historical perspective illuminates the discussion of current police force relationships with, and responsibilities towards, indigenous persons. Other issues considered - the use of technology, the enforcement of drug laws, the maintenance of public order, the role of police in industrial disputes, the social construction of crime - are studied in similar fashion, and provide a useful source of information and discussion about areas of policing relevant to contemporary police work. This book is designed for first year policing students, but will also be useful in criminology courses.