Policing and new public governance: a discourse analysis of an annual plan

The police can be considered as a special type of public organization given its role in public safety. Traditionally, policing has been based on a more authoritarian view in which police legitimacy rests on their ability to meet targets and outcomes related to the control of security and crime. This approach accords with what is known as New Public Management and it has been criticized for leading to an over-zealous focus on the measurement of objectives at the expense of providing high quality policing. More recently, a new approach to the management of public service organizations has taken hold known as New Public Governance. This model recognizes the need for greater stakeholder involvement and the need to incorporate public values into the work of the organization. It also points to such organizations being able to adapt and respond to what is happening, both internally and also the external environment. This paper examines the extent to which Police Scotland, as a case study, has officially adopted this new approach to its operations. This is accomplished through a discourse analysis of the rhetorical style adopted in its current planning document. The findings suggest that there is indeed an adoption of the NPG approach although this is tempered by the possibility that the document examined represents a rhetorical gloss on Police Scotland’s activities.