ABSTRACT
Citizens in conflict with the police often perceive the conflict as unsolvable, as the other party is perceived as powerful and challenging to engage in a constructive dialogue. This holds especially true for members of minorities. However, the fair functioning of police forces is a prerequisite for the stability of democratic societies. This chapter thus presents forms of intercultural mediation of conflicts with the police. Starting with an introduction to policing and conflict management as part of daily police work, we outline typical intercultural interactions and conflicts between police and citizens. Successful mediation approaches in this arena (police officers with multicultural backgrounds, community policing, mediation of complaints) demonstrate how such conflicts can be resolved constructively and the features to be considered.
