Neoliberalism in Professional Work: An Analysis of Private and Public Sector Police Professionalism

Many variables coalesce to create a professional organization and professionalism in general. Two primary variables responsible in forming a professional organization are is the perceived abstract nature of intellectual attributes that surrounds its work concentration; and the second, created by the first, is the exclusivity that sets this socioeconomic group apart from nonprofessionals and other professions (Abbott 1988). Generally, exclusivity resides in the nucleus of professionalism’s distinctive knowledge and its dynamic professionalization process. This paper explores the unique character of the professional as a deterrent to neoliberal privatization of public policing. The problem with neoliberal privatization is it devalues the function of labor and places the emphasis on profit. The question for this paper is Are professionals, as a socioeconomic group, best suited to deter the aggressive efforts of neoliberal privatization? To answer that question, this study will focus on professional police. The effort will be to reveal the ways professional public police deal with the challenge of privatization of public policing. This paper argues that public policing cannot be privatized and therefore is a deterrent to capitalist neoliberal efforts.

Author

• Baker, Robert

• Police professionals
• Private police
• Neoliberalism
• Private entrepreneur

Identifier

hdl:1920/8681

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:MARS:1920/8681