Building police legitimacy in a high demand environment: the case of Yukon, Canada

Abstract

Purpose

Police legitimacy has emerged as a core concept in the study of twenty-first century policing. The purpose of this paper is to contribute new knowledge by examining the dynamics surrounding policing legitimacy in a high demand environment in Northern Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach was used to explore the historical and contemporary factors that contributed to the challenges surrounding the police-First Nations relations, how these challenges affected public confidence in, and trust of, the police, and how the communities, police, and government took action to address these issues.

Findings

The findings reveal that it is possible for the police, First Nations, and government in high demand environments to implement reforms and to create the foundation for police-community collaboration. The development of relationships based on trust and a continuing dialogue is important components in building police legitimacy.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted in one northern jurisdiction. The findings may apply to other jurisdictions where the police are involved in policing indigenous peoples.

Practical implications

The case study provides insight into the processes required to fundamentally alter the police-First Nations relations, to improve police service delivery in high demand environments, and to ensure that reforms are sustained.

Originality/value

Police legitimacy has been examined primarily in urban environments where police services have considerable capacities and there re-extensive networks of support from various agencies and organizations. The dynamics of policing in northern communities are appreciably different and present challenges as well as opportunities for improving police legitimacy.

Citation

Taylor Griffiths, C. and Clark, P. (2017), "Building police legitimacy in a high demand environment: the case of Yukon, Canada", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 40 No. 3, pp. 560-573. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-06-2016-0088