Understanding the changing social structural and corporate agency governance characteristics of (UK) Policing: towards a new relational policing matrix

Design/Methodology: - Two case studies (Mecronia and Andrad) were conducted following an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology. Critical/relational sociological views of the interaction between non- human structure (Donati, 2007) and corporate agency (Archer, 1995) provided a lens for the analysis. In this manner, the changing social, structural and corporate agency characteristics in policing were brought into focus. In the same way, the feelings and reactions of individual police officers were explored in response to those changes.

Analysis: - Using existing policing, management and critical/relational sociological texts and collected research data, a new conceptual relational policing matrix (RPM) is developed and is a major contribution of this work. I argue that NPM structures had a dehumanising effect on police organisations and were at odds with personal public service motivation (Perry and Wise 1990). I argue that the recent removal of numerical targets is greatly welcomed by the officers. Finally, I argue that ongoing austerity measures of successive UK Governments have left police officers feeling greatly overworked and over stressed due to an increasing imbalance between demand and resources.

Originality/ Value: - The Relational Policing Matrix (RPM) is a new conceptual framework and using critical/relational sociological theory as a lens for the examination of policing structures and culture has not been attempted before. No one has described the changing governance characteristics in relation to the police from the perspective of serving police officers or analysed the impact of those changes on the police officers using a relational sociological lens. Therefore, through the analysis and use of the RPM the thesis is original and adds value to understanding of police, public-sector and organisational management.