Book Description

Counterinsurgency Strategy – A Path to Effective Policing opens with American military action in Mosul, Iraq, in 2003. The civil authority in a city of 1.7 million people had collapsed, government ministry buildings had been looted, and criminal gangs and ethnic conflict raged out of control. General David Petraeus, utilizing the military’s Counterinsurgency Doctrine (COIN), restored security, allowing the re-emergence of the local economy. He worked with the local leaders to hold elections and, in short order, restored civil society. The COIN principles used by General Petraeus in Iraq have application to the violent crime issues plaguing cities in the United States. Increasing disorder in the face of declining police legitimacy and a growing trust gap between police and the communities they serve are analogous to the situation facing military commanders combatting insurgencies. Given the current debate on police militarization occurring across the country, the book reviews the history of police militarization, the provision of military equipment to police through the Department of Defense, and the impact of militarization on police tactics. COIN operational values in the context of the militarization debate are reviewed. A paradox in policing is the growth of militarism concurrent with the movement toward Community Policing. While Community Policing has received significant attention among military COIN adherents, discussion of COIN strategy among police researchers has been nearly nonexistent. This book examines the commonalities of COIN strategy with the philosophy of Community-Oriented Policing. Effective policing efforts to reduce crime and disorder are highlighted, and the role of the COIN strategy in these efforts is reviewed. A detailed guide to adapting COIN strategy and tactics for local police departments is also provided. This book aims to provide for neighborhood safety based on police legitimacy, effective security, and a whole-of-government effort to address local community problems.