Video Documentary on Visible Policing Research

Visible policing: the affective properties of police buildings images and material culture.

Dr Matt Jones (previous Head of Policing Organisation and Practice at the OU), together with Professor Mike Rowe (Northumbria University) and Professor Andrew Millie (Edge Hill University) have recently completed their research on visibility in policing. This also involved GMP, West Yorkshire Police, Lancashire Constabulary and Cumbria Constabulary. 

The research team  have produced a short film that summarises the research and key findings which emphasises the fact that the visual and symbolic nature of policing should not be overlooked, specifically with the move to online policing.  

The project explored the visual culture of contemporary policing, focusing on the symbolic power of police stations, the symbolic properties of police material culture (including ceremonial uniforms, flags, badges, tourist souvenirs, and children's toys), and the visibility of the police in social media, incorporating official and unofficial police accounts. It explored the structure and communicative impact of different forms of police presence and visibility, the role of visual, symbolic and material artefacts in forging the organisational and cultural, new and emerging forms of police visibility on social media, and the implications of project findings for policy and practice.