Contested Police Systems Changes in the Police Systems in Belgium, Denmark, England & Wales, Germany, and the Netherlands

This book compares the changes that have taken place in the police systems in Belgium, Denmark, England/Wales, Germany (in particular, the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia), and the Netherlands. These countries are geographical neighbors and their police systems have undergone significant reforms in recent years. All five countries have been wrestling with finding the proper arrangements for the organization, as well as the steering and controlling, of their police in ways that fit both national and local demands, in an effort to improve police performance. The central research question is: What changes have occurred in the organization and the governance structure of these police systems in recent decades, and why?