Chief Police Officers’ Stories of Legitimacy

Ian Shannon is a fellow at the University of Leeds, UK, and completed his PhD at the University of Liverpool in 2018. From 1981 to 2013, he served as a police officer in three forces and he retired as a deputy chief constable. He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2013.

• 1 Introduction.- 2 Legitimacy: A Contested Concept.- 3 Chief Police Officers’ Backgrounds and Motivations.- 4 Protecting People, Particularly the Most Vulnerable.- 5 Policing by Consent.- 6 Law and Governance.- 7 Conclusion.

“Ian Shannon’s book Chief Police Officers’ Stories of Legitimacy joins the list of ‘must-read’ books for those interested in police leadership and police leaders. … A carefully crafted and well written book provides readers with a comprehensive overview of what we already know about police leadership and police leaders. … The research will be of great interest to all police scholars and to those who care about the quality of policing and civil liberties.” (Marisa Silvestri, Policing and Society, May 29, 2022)