ABSTRACT
The professional police identity is fundamental to understand how police officers conduct their work. In decision making and acting, police officers maintain an internal dialogue with the police identity. The decisions taken and how police officers act are dependent on the individual’s interpretation of, and answer to, the question: Who are we, what do others expect from us, and what is our mission? It is, therefore, of great importance to reveal what constitutes the professional police identity and to deepen the understanding of how it is constructed. In this chapter, we show that improved
Introduction 77 Professional Identities 78
Selection and Distrust: The Pathway to a Strong Professional Identity 80 Selection 80
Pride in Their Success 80 Strengths of Police Officers 81
Distrust 82 Police Officers as Unwelcome 82 Police Officers as Prejudiced, Lying Fascists 83
Contact with the Public in Police Work 83 Experiences of the Mass Media 85 Defenses 86
Discussion 87 References 89
knowledge about what comprises a professional police identity is crucial for a positive development in policing and better opportunities for police officers to act in secure and ethically defensible ways.
