Policing Ethnic Minorities: Disentangling a Landscape of Conceptual and Practice Tensions

The policing of ethnic minorities has been a challenge for law enforcement agencies. After decades of research, inquiries into policing, policy-making, and attempts at changing practice, some progress has been made, but we are still far from an ideal picture of equity and procedural fairness. Conceptually, and in practice, issues of racial profiling, institutional racism, and over-policing still plague the everyday police business. The many innovative initiatives to increase trust and accountability, build confidence, and close gaps between ethnic minorities and police officers are commendable. However, they go but a small step into the right direction. Some further efforts are needed toward human rights policing and critical diversity in policy to make up for the enduring and entrenched tensions that are the legacy of past colonialist and, in some case, genocidal practices.