Does community policing signal the diminishment of coercive policing? Recent trends indicate the opposite. There may be an increase in the number and a significant change in the use of police paramilitary units. This case study uses quantitative data, field research and in-depth interviews to inquire into a Southern police department's past and current use of their Emergency Response Unit. Through the research, a more revealing look at the overall paramilitary policing culture, attitudes, legitimization, and tactics was gained and several important cultural themes were developed. Findings include that while this department publicizes themselves as community policing oriented, it has also significantly broadened the role of their paramilitary unit.
","abstract_html":"<p>Does community policing signal the diminishment of coercive policing? Recent trends indicate the opposite. There may be an increase in the number and a significant change in the use of police paramilitary units. This case study uses quantitative data, field research and in-depth interviews to inquire into a Southern police department's past and current use of their Emergency Response Unit. Through the research, a more revealing look at the overall paramilitary policing culture, attitudes, legitimization, and tactics was gained and several important cultural themes were developed. Findings include that while this department publicizes themselves as community policing oriented, it has also significantly broadened the role of their paramilitary unit. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Paulsen, Derek J."],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Justice Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1996,"date_issued":"1996-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1996-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:13Z","subjects":["police","paramilitary forces","community policing","Criminology and Criminal Justice"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 1996 Derek J. Paulsen"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/97","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Paulsen, Derek J."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Justice Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["police","paramilitary forces","community policing","Criminology and Criminal Justice"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 1996 Derek J. Paulsen"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/97"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Does community policing signal the diminishment of coercive policing? Recent trends indicate the opposite. There may be an increase in the number and a significant change in the use of police paramilitary units. This case study uses quantitative data, field research and in-depth interviews to inquire into a Southern police department's past and current use of their Emergency Response Unit. Through the research, a more revealing look at the overall paramilitary policing culture, attitudes, legitimization, and tactics was gained and several important cultural themes were developed. Findings include that while this department publicizes themselves as community policing oriented, it has also significantly broadened the role of their paramilitary unit.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Forging the \"Iron Fist\" Inside the \"Velvet Glove\": a Case Study in the Character and Culture of a Police Paramilitary Unit"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Paulsen, Derek J."],"dc:description.abstract":["Does community policing signal the diminishment of coercive policing? Recent trends indicate the opposite. There may be an increase in the number and a significant change in the use of police paramilitary units. This case study uses quantitative data, field research and in-depth interviews to inquire into a Southern police department's past and current use of their Emergency Response Unit. Through the research, a more revealing look at the overall paramilitary policing culture, attitudes, legitimization, and tactics was gained and several important cultural themes were developed. Findings include that while this department publicizes themselves as community policing oriented, it has also significantly broadened the role of their paramilitary unit.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/97"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 1996 Derek J. Paulsen"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["police","paramilitary forces","community policing","Criminology and Criminal Justice"],"dc:title":["Forging the \"Iron Fist\" Inside the \"Velvet Glove\": a Case Study in the Character and Culture of a Police Paramilitary Unit"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Justice Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:13Z"}