Looking for Information on Constabulary Forces

Hello,

I am doing research into constabulary forces, and am doing some comparison on conntrasts, and I am trying to get additional information sources on the following organizations:

- British South African Police (Rhodesia)
- Royal Ulster Constabulary (Northern Ireland), and
- Assam Rifles (India)

The central theme of my research is looking into whether a force is required to cover the "gap" between the regular police and the military. To carry out duties that do not neatly fit into either a civilian law enforcement agency or into a military organization.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide me.

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Originally Posted by Icebreaker

Hello,

I am doing research into constabulary forces, and am doing some comparison on conntrasts, and I am trying to get additional information sources on the following organizations:

- British South African Police (Rhodesia)
- Royal Ulster Constabulary (Northern Ireland), and
- Assam Rifles (India)

The central theme of my research is looking into whether a force is required to cover the "gap" between the regular police and the military. To carry out duties that do not neatly fit into either a civilian law enforcement agency or into a military organization.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide me.

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In terms of the British Experience there never was a gap. Police units and military units are very clearly defined, and entirely seperate. BSAP was a normal colonial police force, with some small elements getting military training (PATU). Only a very very small percentage of the RUC got any form of military training (read Big Boys Rules, my Mark Urban. BS book, but cover who did what). Wikipedia covers the Assam Rfls as I'm sure you know.

Did some quick-and-dirty on this question for some lectures. Here's what I can unearth from those searches:

Armitage and Moisan, Constabulary Forces and Post-Conflict Transition (2005)

Gott, Mobility, Vigilance, and Justice: The US Army Constabulary in Germany, 1946-1953 (2005)

Harriott, Police and Crime Control in Jamaica: Problems of Reforming Ex-Colonial Constabularies (2000)

Godfrey, Reckoning with Force: Stories of the Jamaica Constabulary Force in the 1950s (1998)

Whitten, The Ulster Special Constabulary: The B Specials (c. 1970)

White, Bullets and Bolos: Fifteen Years in the Philippine Islands (1928)

Hides, Savages in Serge: The Story of the Papuan Armed Constabulary (1973)

This area of policing usually falls into studies of the para-military option, usually after a crisis in normal, public order policing or the sudden arrival of armed political violence. The political changes in post-apartheid South Africa, Namibia and Eastern Europe have led to many writing on reforms to democratise para-military policing regimes - I'd expect searching on that theme will pay dividends.

There are several academics in the UK who have studied and written on the subjects involved, Frank Gregory (Southampton University), Alice Hills (can't remember) and PAJ Waddington (LKA Reading University). In the USA the one I know is Ronald Weitzer (George Washington University) wrote two books on the issues, particularly 'Transforming Settler States: Communal conflict and Internal Security in Northern Ireland and Zimbabwe' (Pub. 1990).

Frank Gregory has written on the French approach.

Earlier SWJ threads on Northern Ireland have links to books and reports.

From my bookshelves I'd recommend looking at:

The Strong Arm of the Law: Armed and Public Order Policing by PAJ Waddington (Pub. 1991)

Shooting in the Dark: Riot Police in Britain by Gerry Northam (Pub. 1988)

The RUC: A Force Under Fire by Chris Ryder (Pub. 1989 and since)

The Thin Green Line: The History of the RUC GC by Richard Doherty (Pub. 2004)

The Police, Public Order and the StateL Policing in UK, Northern Ireland, Irish Republic, USA, Israel, South Africa and China by John Brewer et al (Pub. 1988)

Riot Control by Anthony Deane-Drummond (Pub. 1975). Silent co-author Sir Robert Mark and written just after The Troubles began in Northern Ireland.

Police & Protest in England & Ireland 1780-1850 by Stanley Palmer (Pub. 1988). Absolutely superb work comparing the two styles that emerged and a good conclusion.

Bayonets in the Streets: Urban Guerilla at home and abroad by John Gellner (Pub. 1974). A Canadian viewpoint so interesting.

Hope this helps.

Finally a constant refrain from some on SWJ please describe yourself better than the current public profile and add to the SWJ thread Who am I.

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Originally Posted by davidbfpo

Bayonets in the Streets: Urban Guerilla at home and abroad by John Gellner (Pub. 1974). A Canadian viewpoint so interesting.

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I know of another book with a title very similar to this, but called,

Bayonets in the Streets: The Use of Troops in Civil Disturbances (ISBN: 0897450965) by Robin Higham.

...a friend of mine came up with it, when I was trying to find some good reason to give troops bayonets!!

I would like to thank everyone for their responses. They have been very helpful, and have given me some interesting leads.

I have improved my description in the public profile, and have added some informaion about myself in t he "Who Am I" thread.