Police Professionalism: An Occupational Misnomer?

In recent years, much has been written about police professionalism by scholars and practitioners alike. Prevailing in these writings are discussions about various factors thought to be associated with professional policing, such as training and formal education, the organizational structure of the police agencies, and community policing initiatives. However, what is often being described as indicators of professional law enforcement are simply good police practices which, however worthwhile they may be, are not synonymous with professionalism. This article seeks to examine the occupation of policing against the backdrop of professionalism as defined in the literature