Reassessing Bittner’s thesis: understanding coercion and the police in light of Waco and the Los Angeles riots

Abstract

Considers the dilemma of the incompatibility between the role of the police and democratic values, Develops Bittner’s thesis, that Western values continue to move away from legitimate use of force toward coercive intervention, with reference to the Waco siege and the Los Angeles riots.

Citation

Vizzard, W.J. (1995), "Reassessing Bittner’s thesis: understanding coercion and the police in light of Waco and the Los Angeles riots", Police Studies: Intnl Review of Police Development, Vol. 18 No. 3/4, pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000004473