Police Legitimacy under the Spotlight: Media Coverage of Police Performance in the Face of High Terrorism Threat

Periods of external security threats highlight the important role of police legitimacy, as legitimacy is a key antecedent in the public’s willingness to cooperate and obey police directives (Sunshine and Tyler 2003; Tyler 2001, 2004). Indeed, in times of terrorist attacks legitimacy becomes even more crucial because of the multiple responsibilities of the police in counterterrorism and routine activities (Bayley and Weisburd 2009).