The policing of terrorism: a comparative analysis of Turkish and Canadian counter-terrorism responses

Abstract

Police agencies assume a significant role in the creation and enforcement of government counter-terrorism strategies. Modern police organizations are tasked with preventing and responding to terrorism, in addition to their traditional policing duties of crime prevention, criminal investigation and order maintenance. However, despite the increment and spending on police counter-terrorism efforts, very little is known about the exact nature and effectiveness of police counter-terrorism strategies. Studying the policing of terrorism for a detailed understanding of what police are doing regarding counter-terrorism is a major requisite for terrorism researchers. Additionally, explaining why police agencies differ in their responses to terrorism is also critical in analyzing police counter-terrorism tactics. Although there exist studies that compare and contrast countries’ responses, there is not much comparative research on police organizations’ responses to terrorism. The current research develops a comparative analysis of the Turkish and Canadian police organizations’ responses to terrorism. Using data obtained on the Turkish National Police (TNP) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the main purpose of the current study is to explore and compare how international police organizations respond to terrorism. This thesis aims to advance the knowledge and practice of the police role in countering terrorism.