Reconciling Policing and Military Objectives: Can Clausewitzian Theory Assist the Police Use of Force in the United Kingdom?

Abstract

In contemplating the use of force within liberal democratic societies, policing faces what is known as the “paradox of police governance:” the irreconcilable objective of using minimum force set against the inherently escalatory nature of violence itself. This analysis explores the relevance of Clausewitzian theory for understanding this paradox with regard to policing in the United Kingdom. With reference to recent security incidents in which force, and on occasion lethal force, was employed, this investigation finds that Clausewitzian ideas can be used to address, and potentially resolve, such fundamentals as to how much force is enough, and how and where it should be employed.