Impediments to police modernization in Iran, (1878 -1979)

The foundational precepts of modern police professionalism were laid down by the establishment of London Metropolitan Police in 1829 under Sir Robert Peel. During his commission, Peel introduced organizational principles that were gradually applied to Anglo-American policing that, in conjunction with the larger democratization processes, transformed western policing from its traditional Praetorian Guards functionality to much more neutral law enforcer professionalism. Applying this rationale to the case of Iran, this paper posits that Iran’s National Police were modernized in form rather than in content under the monarchy. In order to transform Iranian policing to western professionalism stature, Iran’s National Police must be democratized.