Thinking normatively about democratic policing: The case of Carabineros de Chile

Thesis

This thesis advances the concept of democratic policing through an empirically grounded theoretical approach based on a case study of Carabineros de Chile. It addresses a significant gap in policing scholarship by developing a non-ideal theory of democratic policing informed by both institutional analysis and lived experiences in marginalised communities. The research employs a multi-method approach combining historical analysis, regulatory framework assessment, institutional discourse examination, and ethnographic fieldwork in two marginalised urban neighbourhoods.

The historical analysis reveals how Carabineros' institutional development, especially during the civic-military dictatorship (1973-1990), has shaped its contemporary democratic deficits. The regulatory framework assessment identifies structural constraints that inhibit democratic accountability. Analysis of the institution's magazine illuminates how Carabineros conceptualise its roles, highlighting tensions between institutional selfperception and democratic principles. The interviews demonstrate how residents' experiences with police influence their sense of democratic belonging, revealing a disconnect between institutional practices and community needs, particularly in marginalised areas where residents experience disproportionate policing without corresponding security benefits.

Building on these findings, the thesis explicitly challenges expansionist approaches to policing by proposing a refined theory that advocates for deliberately restricting and specialising the police role. This theoretical contribution argues against the intensification of policing and instead suggests police forces should be limited to addressing only forms of private violence that communities cannot manage independently. The theory reconceptualises democratic policing as concerned with securing conditions for democratic belonging through institutional restraint rather than expansion. This thesis contends that strengthening democratic foundations requires less police presence in national life, greater community capacity, expanded deliberative spaces, and police forces strictly confined to countering forms of private violence that subjugate marginalised communities.

Authors: Garcia-Campo Almendros, G

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-beakbp25x
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English