Abstract
The Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (ACPO) represents the most senior tiers of the police service and has, arguably, a primary responsibility for ‘steering’ policing and policing policy under both central and local government (police authority) advice and guidance.
In order to deal more effectively with the challenges of the late 20th century, the police service has been the subject of what is principally an internally driven desire to professionalise. That professionalisation has been aimed at both delivery of service and at the professionalisation of ACPO itself as a policy-making and policy advisory body. This paper focuses on how ACPO has developed organisationally, and on the impact of such change at individual force level. The paper also examines the dilemmas revealed in such developments.
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