Understanding the moral dimension of policing: the need to normalise ethical reasoning within police practice

Journal article

Manning, M and Wood, D. 2025. Understanding the moral dimension of policing: the need to normalise ethical reasoning within police practice. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X251340532
AuthorsManning, M and Wood, D.
Abstract

This paper argues that more weight should be paid to the moral dimension of police work in light of recent challenges to police authority in the United Kingdom, most notably from Baroness Casey, but also from movements such as Black Lives Matter. We argue that MacIntyre’s (1985) idea of a practice helps reshape our understanding of policing in ways that redress these challenges. In particular, we emphasise the need to normalise ethical reasoning such that professional policing is framed in moral, as well as legal, terms. We suggest ways that this approach to policing can be developed through police education.

KeywordsVirtue; Ethics; Policing; Education
Year2025
JournalThe Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles
PublisherSAGE Journals
ISSN0032-258X
1740-5599
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X251340532
Official URLhttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0032258X251340532
Publication dates
Online02 May 2025
Publication process dates
Accepted02 May 2025
Deposited17 Jul 2025
Accepted author manuscript
File Access Level
Restricted
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Permalink -

https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/9v773/understanding-the-moral-dimension-of-policing-the-need-to-normalise-ethical-reasoning-within-police-practice

Download files

Publisher's version
manning-wood-2025-understanding-the-moral-dimension-of-policing-the-need-to-normalise-ethical-reasoning-within-police.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Open

  • 13
    total views
  • 5
    total downloads
  • 7
    views this month
  • 5
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Maintaining professional standards and reflective practice
Wood, D. 2025. Maintaining professional standards and reflective practice. in: McGrath, R. and Pepper, I. (ed.) Introduction to Professional Policing. Examining the Evidence Base London and New York Routledge, Taylor and Francis. pp. 26-41
Towards Ethical Policing
Wood, D. A. 2020. Towards Ethical Policing. Bristol Policy Press.
Embedding learning and assessment within police practice: the opportunities and challenges arising from the introduction of the PEQF in England and Wales
Wood, D. 2018. Embedding learning and assessment within police practice: the opportunities and challenges arising from the introduction of the PEQF in England and Wales. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/pay087
Researching professional development
Wood, D. and Bryant, R. 2015. Researching professional development. in: Brunger, M., Tong, S. and Martin, D. (ed.) Introduction to policing research. Taking lessons from practice. London Routledge. pp. 87-99
Blackstone's handbook for policing students 2017
Blackburn, B., Graca, S., Lawton-Barrett, K., Gilbert, P., Hooper, G., Jones, G., Lerpiniere, P., McCormack, T., Mitchell, S., Nunn, J., O'Neill, M., Owens, J., Straine-Francis, V., Underwood, R. and Wood, D. Bryant, R. and Bryant, S. (ed.) 2016. Blackstone's handbook for policing students 2017. Oxford Oxford University Press.
Blackstone's handbook for policing students 2016
Graca, S., Lawton-Barrett, K., O'Neill, M., Tong, S., Underwood, R. and Wood, D. Bryant, R. and Bryant, S. (ed.) 2015. Blackstone's handbook for policing students 2016. Oxford Oxford University Press.
The importance of context and cognitive agency in developing police knowledge: going beyond the police science discourse
Wood, D., Cockcroft, T., Tong, S. and Bryant, R. 2017. The importance of context and cognitive agency in developing police knowledge: going beyond the police science discourse. The Police Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X17696101
The importance of liberal values within policing: police and crime commissioners, police independence and the spectre of illiberal democracy
Wood, D. 2016. The importance of liberal values within policing: police and crime commissioners, police independence and the spectre of illiberal democracy. Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy. 26 (2), pp. 148-164. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2014.922086
The politics of establishing reflexivity as a core component of good policing
Wood, D. and Williams, E. 2016. The politics of establishing reflexivity as a core component of good policing. in: Armstrong, S., Blaustein, J. and Henry, A. (ed.) Reflexivity and Criminal Justice. Intersections of Policy, Practice and Research London Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 215-236
Can the individual survive the greening of criminology?
Wood, D. 2016. Can the individual survive the greening of criminology? in: Hall, M., Wyatt, T., Potter, G., South, N., Nurse, A. and Maher, J. (ed.) Greening Criminology in the 21st Century: Contemporary Debates and Future Directions in the Study of Environmental Harm Abingdon Routledge. pp. 42-58
Police training and education: past, present and future
Bryant, R., Cockcroft, T., Tong, S. and Wood, D. 2013. Police training and education: past, present and future. in: Brown, J. (ed.) The Future of Policing London Routledge.
Graduate police officers: releasing the potential for pre-employment university programmes for aspiring officers
Tong, S. and Wood, D. 2011. Graduate police officers: releasing the potential for pre-employment university programmes for aspiring officers. The Police Journal. 84 (1), pp. 69-74. https://doi.org/10.1350/pojo.2011.84.1.513
Submission to the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into leadership and standards in the police. (Written evidence.)
Bryant, R., Tong, S. and Wood, D. 2012. Submission to the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into leadership and standards in the police. (Written evidence.). London Home Office.
Why is more policing always the answer?
Wood, D. 2010. Why is more policing always the answer?
Responding to the Neyroud Review: the higher education forum for learning and development in policing perspective
Wood, D. 2011. Responding to the Neyroud Review: the higher education forum for learning and development in policing perspective.
Policing at a crossroads: the demise of constabulary independence and the rise of purposeful policing
Wood, D. 2011. Policing at a crossroads: the demise of constabulary independence and the rise of purposeful policing.
Human rights and the future prospects for liberal policing in the UK
Wood, D. 2010. Human rights and the future prospects for liberal policing in the UK.
Democratising police governance? A critical reflection on the likely impact of Police and Crime Commissioners
Wood, D. and Furness, M. 2012. Democratising police governance? A critical reflection on the likely impact of Police and Crime Commissioners.
Police Complaints in the United Kingdom
Wood, D. 2012. Police Complaints in the United Kingdom. in: MacAlister, D. (ed.) Police Involved Deaths. The Need for Reform Vancouver, British Columbia BC Civil Liberties Association. pp. 73-99
ASC 547 higher education and policing. Report submitted to the Higher Education Academy Social Sciences Cluster
Bryant, R., Bryant, S., Tong, S. and Wood, D. 2012. ASC 547 higher education and policing. Report submitted to the Higher Education Academy Social Sciences Cluster. Higher Education Academy.
Discretion and decision making
Tong, S. and Wood, D. 2009. Discretion and decision making. The Police Online Knowledge Area (POLKA).
Policing without principles: reflections on the teaching of police discretion to initial police trainees
Wood, D. 2008. Policing without principles: reflections on the teaching of police discretion to initial police trainees.
Intergenerational equity and ecological justice: Can’t live with them, can’t live without them
Wood, D. 2008. Intergenerational equity and ecological justice: Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.
Policing as politics
Wood, D. 2009. Policing as politics.
Policing as social engineering : Reflections on the ''Hamsterdam'' experiment
Wood, D. 2009. Policing as social engineering : Reflections on the ''Hamsterdam'' experiment.
From liberal to democratic policing: Is there a role for toleration within contemporary policing?
Wood, D. 2009. From liberal to democratic policing: Is there a role for toleration within contemporary policing?
Do consequences matter? Police ethics in an 'age of terror'
Wood, D. 2007. Do consequences matter? Police ethics in an 'age of terror'.
Initial police training: challenges and developments in the UK
Phipps, J., Tong, S. and Wood, D. 2007. Initial police training: challenges and developments in the UK.
The future of initial police training: a university perspective
Wood, D. and Tong, S. 2009. The future of initial police training: a university perspective. International Journal of Police Science and Management. 11 (3), pp. 294-305. https://doi.org/10.1350/ijps.2009.11.3.131
To regionalize or not to regionalize? A study in the politics of policing in the Greater Vancouver regional district
Wood, D. 2007. To regionalize or not to regionalize? A study in the politics of policing in the Greater Vancouver regional district. Police Practice and Research. 8 (3), pp. 283-297. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614260701450781
Accountable, responsive and independent: on the need for balance in police governance
Wood, D. and MacAlister, D. 2005. Accountable, responsive and independent: on the need for balance in police governance. International Journal of Police Science and Management. 7 (3), pp. 197-207. https://doi.org/10.1350/ijps.2005.7.3.197