Police corruption is a major problem almost everywhere, but it is a poorly understood phenomenon. Leslie Holmes book addresses the need for a more scientific understanding, utilising an innovative in-depth comparative method. Most importantly, he identifies clear and practical measures to optimise integrity and improve public trust in police.
Tim Prenzler, Professor of Criminology, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia
This path-breaking comparative study addresses an important gap in the literature and shows that the wicked problem of police corruption can be curbed with strong political will and capacity in Germany and Singapore, but not in Bulgaria and Russia. I highly recommend this book to policymakers, police reformers and scholars.
Jon Quah, Retired Professor of Political Science, National University of Singapore
Comparing Police Corruption
This book analyses police corruption across four country case studies, exploring how the problem manifests in each country and how it can be reduced.
The problem of police corruption ranges from having to pay a bribe to a traffic cop to avoid a speeding fine, right up to more serious forms, such as collusion with organised crime groups and terrorists. The issue therefore constitutes a significant security threat and a human rights issue, but it is often difficult to understand the extent of the problem, and how it varies across contexts. This book analyses the corruption situation in Bulgaria, Germany, Russia and Singapore, identifies similarities and differences across them, and analyses the various means of addressing the problem: punitive, incentivising, technological, administrative and imaging, and the role of civil society. Drawing on existing literature and research, the book also makes extensive use of local sources and original survey data across the four countries.
As comparative literature on police corruption remains rare, this books survey of the situation in two developed states and two post-communist transition states will be of considerable interest to students and researchers across corruption studies, criminology, police studies and security studies, as well as practitioners working in anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies.
Leslie Holmes is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He also teaches annually at the Graduate School of Social Research in Warsaw and the Renmin University of China in Beijing, and sometimes at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Vienna. Among his numerous books are Rotten States: Corruption, Post-Communism and Neoliberalism (2006) and Corruption: A Very Short Introduction (2015).
Routledge Corruption and Anti-Corruption Studies
The series features innovative and original research on the subject of corruption from scholars around the world. As well as documenting and analysing corruption, the series aims to discuss anti-corruption initiatives and endeavours, in an attempt to demonstrate ways forward for countries and institutions where the problem is widespread. The series particularly promotes comparative and interdisciplinary research targeted at a global readership.
In terms of theory and method, rather than basing itself on any one orthodoxy, the series draws broadly on the tool kit of the social sciences in general, emphasizing comparison, the analysis of the structure and processes, and the application of qualitative and quantitative methods.
Corruption in a Global Context
Restoring Public Trust, Integrity, and Accountability
Edited by Melchior Powell, Dina Wafa, and Tim A. Mau
Corruption and Informal Practices in the Middle East and North Africa
Edited by Ina Kubbe and Aiysha Varraich
Corruption and the Lava Jato Scandal in Latin America
Edited by Paul Lagunes and Jan Svejnar
The Conundrum of Corruption
Reform for Social Justice
Michael Johnston and Scott A. Fritzen
Comparing Police Corruption
Bulgaria, Germany, Russia and Singapore
Leslie Holmes
For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/Routledge-Corruption-and-Anti-Corruption-Studies/book-series/RCACS
First published 2022
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2022 Leslie Holmes
The right of Leslie Holmes to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Holmes, Leslie, author.
Title: Comparing police corruption : Bulgaria, Germany, Russia and Singapore / Leslie Holmes.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2022. |
Series: Routledge corruption and anti-corruption studies | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021018756 (print) | LCCN 2021018757 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Police corruptionBulgaria. | Police corruptionRussia (Federation) | Police corruptionGermany. | Police corruptionSingapore.
Classification: LCC HV7936.C85 H65 2022 (print) | LCC HV7936.C85 (ebook) | DDC 363.25/9323dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021018756
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021018757
ISBN: 978-0-367-74270-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-74273-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-15687-1 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003156871
Typeset in Bembo
by codeMantra
For Goldie and Jude and all honest police officers
DOI: 10.4324/9781003156871-1
Police corruption matters. While once considered a problem primarily of less economically developed states what some call the Global South it has become increasingly obvious in recent decades that, like most forms of corruption, it is also a major issue in developed states. Yet an observation made just over a decade ago suggests that the issue has been slow to reach the agendas of many parts of the world that should know better:
The topic of corruption in police forces is rarely discussed in most EU Member States. The review of official reports on corruption and interviews with representatives of public institutions of EU Member States indicates that police corruption is considered an incidental phenomenon.
Philip Gounev and Tihomir Bezlov (2010: 80)
There are at least 11 reasons why it is of significance, and hence why it demands further research and greater awareness-raising. The first is that, according to Transparency Internationals (TIs) 2013 Global Corruption Barometer (GCB), respondents from 107 countries perceived the police to be second only to political parties in terms of corruption levels (Hardoon and Heinrich 2013: 16). Furthermore, more people around the world who had come into contact with state officials in the previous 12 months had paid bribes to police officers than to any other agents of the state (Hardoon and Heinrich 2013: 3 and 11). In the most recent complete GCB (9th), the police were seen as the joint (along with elected representatives) most corrupt branch of the state apparatus worldwide (Pring 2017: 5). In short, the public in many (most?) countries are more likely to be directly impacted by police corruption than by that of any other officers of the state.
