O’Neill, M. (2015). The case for the acceptable ‘other’: The impact of partnerships, pcsos, and neighbourhood policing on diversity in policing. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 9(1), 77-88.

Policing in England and Wales has experienced several significant events and developments since the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. Although the Lawrence Report is perhaps the most well-known among these, other initiatives such as multi-agency partnerships, the creation of the Police Community Support Officer role and the national roll-out of Neighbourhood Policing have also had a marked impact on the organization. Using findings from two research projects, this article will argue that policing in England and Wales is far more outward-focused and open to collaboration with a diverse range of people, agencies and staff than has ever been the case. This has led to a noticeable shift in cultural orientation among some segments of service. However, the current funding restrictions in policing put all of these developments, from operational matters to wider ethos, at risk.