Abstract

Research on police legitimacy and public confidence underlines the importance of the police demonstrating moral alignment with the communities they serve. However, less attention is given to conflict between values, either within communities or between communities and the police. Through a case study of neighbourhood policing in one London borough, I show how neighbourhood police officers were able to provisionally resolve value-based conflicts, thus supporting confidence and legitimacy. However, I also show how austerity has put this capacity at risk, with potential long-term consequences for public confidence in the police.