“The Peelian Principles” These nine basic principles are often referred to as “The Peelian Principles.” Upon close examination of each of the Peelian principles, not only are direct connections to policing in today’s world apparent, but often the nine principles are cited as the basic foundation for current law enforcement organizations and community policing throughout the world. Many law enforcement agencies currently quote the Peelian Principles on their community websites as their own principles. | Sir Robert Peel 1788 – 1850 “The Founder of Modern Policing” | |
Peelian Principle 1 – “The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.”
Peelian Principle 2 – “The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.” Peelian Principle 3 – “Police must secure the willing co-operation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public.” Peelian Principle 4 – “The degree of co-operation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.” Peelian Principle 5 – “Police seek and preserve public favor not by catering to the public opinion but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law.” Peelian Principle 6 – “Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient.” Peelian Principle 7 – “Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.” Peelian Principle 8 – “Police should always direct their action strictly towards their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary.” Peelian Principle 9 – “The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.” |