2 Declining legitimacy and trust in the police

It has often been argued in Britain that:

It is therefore concerning that many investigations and surveys have showed declining levels of trust in the police. The recent ONS survey Trust in the Police [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] (2022–23) showed a marked decline in levels of trust in the police in the early 2020s, with a significant increase in the total percentage of adults reporting ‘low levels of trust in the police’ (from 23 per cent to 29 per cent between 2022 and 2023 alone). This reverses a general rise in trust in the police from about 2006 onwards (Farrow, 2022, p. 9). If nearly a third of adults now report a lack of trust in the police, what does this mean for the notion of ‘policing by consent’?

Figure 3: A protester blocks tram tracks in Manchester in July 2024, holding a sign which calls for the ‘dismantling’ of Greater Manchester Police force.

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A photograph showing a man in a dark jacket and pale baseball cap facing away from the camera, standing in front of a yellow tram. He holds up a sign reading ‘DISMANTLE GMP NOW’

Figure 3: A protester blocks tram tracks in Manchester in July 2024, holding a sign which calls for the ‘dismantling’ of Greater ...

Figure 3: A protester blocks tram tracks in Manchester in July 2024, holding a sign which calls for the ‘dismantling’ of Greater Manchester Police force. [Description: A photograph showing a man in a dark jacket and pale baseball cap facing away from the camera, standing in front of a yellow tram. He holds up a sign reading ‘DISMANTLE GMP NOW’] Source: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/protestors-block-the-tram-tracks-during-a-demonstration-in-news-photo/2162801522?adppopup=true

Other surveys confirm the same findings, and it appears that:

Problems are particularly pronounced in London, with the 2023 Casey Report finding that ‘far too many Londoners have now lost faith in policing’ (Casey, 2023, p. 8). There are also distinct variations in trust according to different characteristics. Women have traditionally reported higher levels of trust in the police than men, but this is no longer the case in London. Minoritised ethnic communities also often report lower than average confidence and trust in the police. Overall, multiple data points in recent years show public confidence and trust in the police in evident decline (House of Lords, 2023).

What can history tell us about this problem? Is this really a new and alarming phenomenon, or has policing has always, to some extent, been a contested and complex process of social control?