Contemporary arguments about policing in Australia have been marked by a concern over an increasingly interventionist role of police in politics. Police, both departments and unions, have been playing a prominent role in public debates over law and order issues, police staffing levels and other policy matters. It is argued that historical scrutiny of policing since the 1890s indicates a continuing role and influence of police in both policy making and law reform. If such has been the case, then understanding the contemporary political role of police in Australia requires re-evaluation of the changing contexts affecting the visibility and prominence of police interventions.
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