Book review: "Authoritarian Police in Democracy: Contested Security in Latin America. by Yanilda María González. Cambridge University Press"

Yanilda González has written a landmark study addressing a highly contentious issue of our time: the persistence of authoritarian policing practices in numerous countries, despite their transition to democracy. The central question explored in the book is how to reform the police bureaucracy, an institution tasked with ensuring security but often becoming the primary source of insecurity for citizens. González presents a compelling and concise argument that revolves around two factors: political competition and the convergence of societal preferences. According to the author, these factors play a pivotal role in determining whether politicians will pursue police reform or choose to maintain the status quo.

Notably, in previous studies, each of these factors has been recognized separately as potential drivers of various institutional reforms. However, González not only demonstrates their individual limitations in generating police reform, but goes on to articulate the significance of considering these two factors in tandem, offering convincing evidence as to why their combined impact is crucial for achieving meaningful change in policing.