Police and terrorism, violent extremism, and targeted violence

Closes:

Submit your paper here!

Introduction

With the rise of nationalism and extremism worldwide and several ongoing violent state conflicts, there is an urgent need to explore the contemporary police role in terrorism, violent extremism and targeted violence. Police are first responders to such violence, but they also can be catalysts for and victims of extremist violence. For example, police officers were among the insurrectionists during the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol, while US Capitol Police and Washington, DC Metropolitan Police were defending the building and diverting the attackers to prevent further violence (see https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/24-months-january-6-attack-capitol). This incident resulted in 140 assaults on officers, five police deaths, and stress of many law enforcement officers. Given the increase in US political violence during 2024, experts predict further attacks following the latest US election (see https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/02/political-violence-election-january-6).  

Police involvement in political violence as emergency responders, victims and offenders extends beyond the United States, given the worldwide acceptance of nationalism coupled with misinformation. Indeed, terrorism and extremist violence adjacent to inter- and intra-state conflict in the Middle East and the Russian invasion of Ukraine affect police (see https://acleddata.com/2023/03/01/war-in-ukraine-one-year-on-nowhere-safe) For example, the New York Times reported fatal terrorist attacks on Israeli police (see https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/01/world/middleeast/israel-west-bank-police.html), along with differential police response to residents and increasing police violence against protesters (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/magazine/israel-west-bank-settler-violence-impunity.html).There is a need to have an international academic conversation about police and terrorism, violent extremism and targeted violence.

This special issue has several objectives. The first is to identify the strategies used by police to counter terrorism, violent extremism and targeted violence today and to assess whether these strategies are effective in preventing or responding to terrorism, violent extremism and targeted violence. The second aim of this special issue is to explore police preparedness for mass casualty events stemming from terrorism, violent extremism and targeted violence. The third objective is to determine what effect terrorism, violent extremism and targeted violence has on police wellness. The fourth aim is to identify police as offenders or catalysts for violence, such as the case of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. Manuscripts addressing any of these topics are welcome for consideration.

 

List of topic areas

  • Police prevention and response to cross national terrorism
  • Police prevention and response to domestic terrorism
  • Police prevention and response to targeted violence
  • Police as targets of terrorism
  • Police involvement as offenders or catalysts for violence

 

Guest Editor

Jennifer Gibbs, 
Penn State Harrisburg, USA, 
[email protected] 
 

Submissions Information

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available by clicking the button below.

Submit your paper here!

Author guidelines must be strictly followed.

Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”.

Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.
 

Key Deadlines

Opening date for manuscripts submissions: 30 April 2025
Closing date for manuscripts submission: 30 September 2025