Abstract

This paper will explore two separate but intertwined recent developments within U.S. civilian policing organizations: the popularity of "community"-based policing initiatives, and the increasingly paramilitary aspect of many police departments. This study will trace the development of these phenomena, their areas of intersection, and related issues, such as fear, ideology, telematic crime, and nostalgia. Because of the complex nature of the subjects, this study serves more as an exploratory tract than a prescriptive policy paper.