The new limitanei: policing on the frontiers of nation, threat, risk and knowledge, through public facing counterterrorism. A mixed method qualitative study of frontline police practitioners

The United Kingdom's counterterrorism efforts are significantly orientated towards tackling terrorism through risk. By detecting terrorists before they can move to the difficult to detect and dangerous stage of a viable plot or attack. The most public facing counterterrorism agency are the police. With specialist counterterrorism officers and civilian staff at the UK air, sea, land and rail ports and those working within the unique Prevent Strategy being at the forefront of public facing counterterrorism risk work. Whilst Prevent and Ports counterterrorism work may appear to be different functions within the over-arching CONTEST strategy, police practitioners working in these fields face the same practical difficulties, and external criticisms of their work. With claims of crude profiling, mistaking innocent behaviour for signs of terrorist risk, impinging on citizen freedoms, and contributing at times to minority stress in already marginalised communities. The literature only hints at the difficulties practitioner's face in trying to balance the very pressing demand of detecting and halting terrorism and issues described above. Whilst practically grappling with vague concepts such as radicalisation, extremism, and the definition of terrorism itself, that have long vexed law and policy makers and scholars. Although much valuable academic work has been done on the impact of tackling terrorism through risk, rather than through traditional criminal justice processes, very little attention has been paid to the police practitioners on the frontline.

Through a mixed method qualitative study. Combining 21 non security sensitive in-depth interviews of frontline practitioners in Ports, Prevent and associated training roles, and participant observations of a ports police practitioner training course, this study addresses this gap. To explore how professional identity is subjectively shaped, and they orientate into their new professional role. Of how practitioners grapple with subjective and vague concepts such as radicalisation, extremism and vulnerability, and even the definition of terrorism in an international context where definitions often differ. How they navigate the difficult social terrain of interactions with the public. And whether practitioners engage with scholarly research, where there is often copious commentary on this kind of work.

Several conclusions are reached. Firstly, that practitioners all experienced significant disorientation moving from prior policing roles, thus reflecting the unique nature of the work. Secondly, that reorientation into the new risk space significantly altered self-conceptions of their professional identity, of what working knowledge looks like and how they engage with this complex subject matter. Thirdly, that practitioners are aware of the social impacts of their work but tended to understand this through on-the-ground experiences, with little knowledge of the research already out there. Exploring practitioner life and professional backgrounds and reorientations into the unique practical difficulties and demands of their role, allows a much more detailed, contextually rich, and nuanced understanding of these practitioners than before.

Through this process I sketch out the character of the 'New Limitanei'. A specialist knowledge worker, that is both unique but unrecognised at the organisational level. This thesis concludes by suggesting a re-shaping of how practitioners are recruited, trained and how continuing professional development is conceived. For the improvement of academic-police partnerships in catering to the knowledge demands of the frontline. For evidence-based policing to incorporate 'research informed frontline specialist practice' into its repertoire of professionalising the police, and for scholars to pay greater qualitative and in-depth attention to the frontline counterterrorism professional.