Culture, race and policy some themes of the sociology of the police

Michael Banton's book The Policeman in the Community was the first sociological study of the English police. Many features of police work that have been the subject of continuing research were identified in it. In this paper, originally presented at a conference to mark Banton's retirement from the Chair in Sociology at Bristol University, one such subject is pursued. This is the way in which the occupational culture of the police rank and file mediates racial prejudice and discrimination within constabularies. Through an analysis of date gathered during the author's study of police ethnic minority recruitment policy, the approaches to race issues of senior and rank‐and‐file officers are contrasted and compared. It is argued that racial inequalities are sustained by particular features of both assumptive worlds. The study of police, race relations should include the organisational and cultural fields of analysis.