Policing Urban Violence: Lessons from South Asia

Abstract

As densely populated urban centres emerge as economic powerhouses where global GDP is concentrated, they are also increasingly vulnerable to shocks of violence and insecurity. Well-managed urban economies have the potential to provide a route out of poverty, however, poor urban communities are disproportionately affected by violence, making the provision of effective and sustainable security in urban centres a key issue in developing countries. IDS research in South Asia shows that urban insecurity tends to receive an overtly militaristic response. While urban police forces continue to play a central role in creating safe and secure urban environments, it is also evident however, that sustainable security results from wider collaborations between state and non-state actors.