Dr Rolando Ochoa, School of Sociology, RSSS, The Australian National University

Larry Saha Room, HA2175, Level 2, Haydon Allen Building (22)

Abstract:

Traditional policing approaches to organised crime have relied heavily on repressive measures, understandably so. However, it is important at this time to re-assess not just how we understand organised crime policing and its dynamics but also how this understanding informs policymaking to push beyond a perhaps reductionist “evidence based/what works” approach to a much more nuanced, complex and harm-reducing strategy. Given the enormous complexities of organised crime it would perhaps be too heavy a task to tackle it as a whole in this chapter. Thus, I will try to focus specifically on the drug trade as a way to illustrate how thinking about organised crime policing has evolved and more importantly, how it can continue to do so in the future. In terms of policing, one of the most significant challenges in tackling drug trafficking emanates from the need to reconcile local dynamics with the needs and mandates of an international system which requires multilateral, inter-agency cooperation and efficient communication and action among sovereign nations, which at the same time have to deal with local structures, constraints and political/social arrangements.  In here lies the challenge for academics and policymakers.  This paper  will therefore attempt to construct a narrative that takes into account the complexities mentioned above and try to integrate them into a framework for the analysis and understanding of organised crime policing, specifically in the case of drug trafficking. Within this structure, the chapter will analyse how local community policing strategies are affected by international cooperation schemes which have focused primarily on Criminal Justice approaches. To illustrate these dynamics the chapter will make specific reference to the US-Mexico partnership in tackling the drug trade and how this has impacted local governments’ ability to respond to the needs of communities and finish with possible paths to how these two areas can find more compatible spaces going forward.