Parapolice
Encyclopedia
Parapolice are law enforcement agents
considered "beyond", "ancillary" or "subsidiary" to the regular police force
(as in "Paramedic
", or "Paralegal
").
. Parapolice organizations, therefore, can include certain private security companies, auxiliary or adjunct police services, or other legal albeit politically-motivated intimidation squads acting either at the behest or with the acquiescence of government and/or power elite
s.
organization “that pushes the envelope” on what is legally permissible concerning citizens’ powers of arrest and trespass
enforcement.
In southern, developing, and divided societies, parapolice have become synonymous with politically-motivated intimidation squads. In some countries, like China, the parapolice are a state-organized policing agency charged with enforcing by-laws and other commercial regulations. They have been accused of intimidating and harassing unlicensed vendors, engaging in running street battles with local residents and environmentalist
s and even beating to death a man for taking images of a clash between villagers and the parapolice. In Brazil, Amnesty International
has criticized the role of the parapolice, locally known as "milicia", for abduction
, intimidation, torture
and “wielding political power by guaranteeing, through intimidation, votes for certain state deputies
”. In Venezuela, parapolice have been blamed for the ‘social cleansing’ of poor men in the state of Portuguesa
. The People’s Ombudsman
reports that the parapolice are responsible for the killing of 402 people between 2001-2004. In Latin America, in particular, parapolice are synonymous with vigilantism and political death squad
s.
In both northern and southern nations, parapolicing is generally considered a pejorative term. It connotes that the interests of such bodies are invariably aligned with a narrow corporate, neocolonial
and pro-capitalist
agenda. Thus, whether private or public, the parapolice are ultimately viewed as violent defenders of ruling, propertied elites.
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
considered "beyond", "ancillary" or "subsidiary" to the regular police force
(as in "Paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
", or "Paralegal
Paralegal
Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
").
Overview
Parapolice organizations are generally considered legally sanctioned bodies acting either beyond or in addition to the duties and responsibilities normally attributed to the public or state policeState police
State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
. Parapolice organizations, therefore, can include certain private security companies, auxiliary or adjunct police services, or other legal albeit politically-motivated intimidation squads acting either at the behest or with the acquiescence of government and/or power elite
Power elite
A power elite or The Grand Elite, in political and sociological theory, is a small group of people who control a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, and access to decision-making of global consequence. The term was coined by C...
s.
Geographic variation
The term seems to have developed slightly different normative meanings in northern versus southern and developing nations. In northern, democratic nations, parapolicing has acquired a critical connotation largely attached to an aggressive form of private security provision. Canadian sociologist, George Rigakos defines the New Parapolice as any “security company that explicitly attempts to bridge the gap between public and private police” constituting a “vanguard” force in emerging “risk markets.” For Rigakos, the parapolice are a type of assertive private law enforcement and surveillanceSurveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
organization “that pushes the envelope” on what is legally permissible concerning citizens’ powers of arrest and trespass
Trespass
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels and trespass to land.Trespass to the person, historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, mayhem, and maiming...
enforcement.
In southern, developing, and divided societies, parapolice have become synonymous with politically-motivated intimidation squads. In some countries, like China, the parapolice are a state-organized policing agency charged with enforcing by-laws and other commercial regulations. They have been accused of intimidating and harassing unlicensed vendors, engaging in running street battles with local residents and environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
s and even beating to death a man for taking images of a clash between villagers and the parapolice. In Brazil, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
has criticized the role of the parapolice, locally known as "milicia", for abduction
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, intimidation, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
and “wielding political power by guaranteeing, through intimidation, votes for certain state deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil is a federal legislative body and the lower house of the National Congress of Brazil. As of 2006, the chamber comprises 513 deputies, who are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms...
”. In Venezuela, parapolice have been blamed for the ‘social cleansing’ of poor men in the state of Portuguesa
Portuguesa (state)
Portuguesa State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela.The state capital is Guanare, founded in 1591.Portuguesa State covers a total surface area of 15,200 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 873,400.-Municipalities:...
. The People’s Ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
reports that the parapolice are responsible for the killing of 402 people between 2001-2004. In Latin America, in particular, parapolice are synonymous with vigilantism and political death squad
Death squad
A death squad is an armed military, police, insurgent, or terrorist squad that conducts extrajudicial killings, assassinations, and forced disappearances of persons as part of a war, insurgency or terror campaign...
s.
In both northern and southern nations, parapolicing is generally considered a pejorative term. It connotes that the interests of such bodies are invariably aligned with a narrow corporate, neocolonial
Neocolonialism
Neocolonialism is the practice of using capitalism, globalization, and cultural forces to control a country in lieu of direct military or political control...
and pro-capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
agenda. Thus, whether private or public, the parapolice are ultimately viewed as violent defenders of ruling, propertied elites.
Examples
- Coal and Iron PoliceCoal and Iron PoliceThe Coal and Iron Police was a private police force in the United States established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly but employed and paid by the various coal companies. The origins of the Coal and Iron Police begin in 1865...
- a private police force established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly but employed and paid by the various coal companies. - Company PoliceCompany policeCompany police, also called private police, are police officers who work for a private company rather than a government agency.-United Kingdom:...
as opposed to company security.
See also
- State Police of Crawford and Erie CountiesState Police of Crawford and Erie CountiesThe State Police of Crawford and Erie Counties was a volunteer organization providing police service in northwest Pennsylvania, not to be confused with the unaffiliated Pennsylvania State Police...
- Auxiliary policeAuxiliary policeAuxiliary police or special constables in England) are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated...
- Railroad policeRailroad policeRailroad police are different from one country to another. Their roles in some countries are not different from that of any other police agency in others they are more related to a type of security police. They are all commonly responsible for the protection of railroad vast networks of...
- Security policeSecurity policeIn some countries, including the United States, security police are those persons, employed by or for a governmental agency, who provide police and security services to those agencies' properties....
- Special policeSpecial policeSpecial Police does not have a consistent international meaning. In many cases it will describe a police force or a unit within a police force whose duties and responsibilities are significantly different from other forces in the same country or significantly different from other police in the same...
- Company policeCompany policeCompany police, also called private police, are police officers who work for a private company rather than a government agency.-United Kingdom:...