A ‘flattening’ metaphor is dominant in academic writings on policing, and the provision of security. Concepts like ‘pluralisation of policing’, ‘fragmentation of policing’ or ‘multilateralisation’ refer to the supposedly relative position of the public police as ‘just one of many agencies’. I disagree. Policing is deeply rooted in the political function of the state and the primary function of the police and more broadly the criminal justice system is order keeping and law enforcement. These specific functions differ fundamentally from the general ‘provision of security’. In all of this the police differ fundamentally from all the other (semi) public and certainly private actors in the provision of security. The police still represent the state monopoly on violence. And, not one of them has the legal, moral and symbolic authority to control, and investigate, civilians and corporations. And for that matter, also ‘partners’ in the ‘flattened’ security networks.