ABSTRACT
Based on interviews with Swiss police commanders, this chapter examines the impact of the pandemic on the work of Swiss police officers, focusing on stress factors associated with general and specific organizational adjustments, and how these relate to police self-legitimacy. The interaction between the police and the public is affected not only by the expectations of the public, but also on the believe of the police that their work is in line with the public expectations. This social contract was put to the test by the exceptional situation and the stress it caused during the pandemic. The police were forced to reorganize both internally, in terms of organizational adjustments, and externally, in terms of contact with the population. The enforcement of the new rules to the detriment of civil liberties led to doubt among police officers, who feared losing the trust of the population in the police and in their work.
