IntroductionDemocratic policing theory is not a monolithic, compelling, and coherent doctrine. Like democracy itself, the literature on democratic policing is characterized by often competing claims and counterclaims about its fundamental principles, goals, and modalities. This literature review reviews notable differences and similarities in various characterizations of democratic policing, and also briefly examines the challenges that some authors believe already threaten the theory's dominance. Recent decades have seen a number of attempts by democratic (mainly Western) countries to export both democracy and democratic policing to post-conflict, emerging and developing states. development. It is therefore not surprising that much of the literature on democratic policing aims to overcome the particular difficulties inherent in introducing democratic policing to populations who have little experience of its key principles. This review examines this theme, with particular emphasis on literature that addresses the establishment of democratic policing in former colonial countries of the South Pacific. The texts examined in this review are predominantly 21st century although, necessarily, some reference is made to historical context. background of all current work. The texts are written by criminologists, other academics and government and non-governmental organizations. The Birth of Democratic Policing Authors are relatively in agreement as to why the institution of policing evolved, with the common view being that it arose as the means "by which the L 'State [could] assert its exclusive or preeminent title to the use or threat of coercion against dangers emanating from its territory.'1 Loader notes how this occurs in...... middle of paper .. ....ing in the Commonwealth Pacific, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, 2006, accessed September 5, 2011REINER, R., The Politics of the Police, 2nd ed., 1992, Brighton, HarvesterUnited Nations, "Principles of Democratic Policing" , UN Police Magazine, December 2006, accessed September 22, 2011WALKER, N, “Decoupling Police and State”, pp. 75-85 in E. Bort and R. Keat (eds.) The Boundaries of Understanding: Essays in Honor of Malcolm Anderson, Edinburgh, International Institute of Social Sciences, 1999 WIATROWSKI, Michael and JA GOLDSTONE, “The ballot and the badge of democratic policing”, Journal of Democracy, Vol. 21, no. 2, April 2010, pp. 79-92, ProQuest, accessed September 21 2011