Introduction by P. A. J. Waddington

‘Governance’ (as distinct from ‘government’)has become a term of art throughout the social sciences overthe past decade or so as scholars have struggled to understandthe complexities of contemporary social changes. This is feltin all corners of society, but has particular relevance to thepolice who have traditionally been regarded as the sole custodiansof state sovereignty, which lies in the capacity to use legitimateforce over its own citizens. This monopoly is being increasinglyeroded as the wider ‘police family’ becomes evermore populous. This reflects, in my estimation, two fundamental realities.First is the indefinite nature of the police role. As the pioneeringpolice research, Egon