Paul Betts

Dr Paul Betts is a Senior Lecturer at Westminster Law School, University of Westminster. He holds honorary positions as Professor in Criminal Justice at the University of Birmingham and Fellow in Social and Political Science at the University of Melbourne. Previously, he served as Detective Chief Superintendent in Counter Terrorism Policing HQ, New Scotland Yard, retiring in 2023 after a 30-year policing career.

Education: PhD in Policing (University of Birmingham, 2021), thesis: 'Theorising Evidence-Based Policing: A Discourse Analysis'.

Research Focus: Post structuralist discourse analysis applied to policing, criminal justice systems, and counter-terrorism. Specializes in interrogating modern policing practices through Foucauldian genealogy and power discourse theories.

Teaching: Course Leader for BA (Hons) Policing, LLB Criminology and Law, and LLB Guided Project Theme Lead in Law Enforcement.

Affiliations: Member of the Centre for Social Justice Research at the University of Westminster.