FJER OM MULEN VED MORGENGRY: Om brugen af dyremetaforer i det danske politi

Resumé

Lars Holmberg: The Use of Animal Metaphors

in the Danish Police

From within the framework of international

research on the police, especially the notion

of “real policework” and the categorisation

of citizens, this article discusses the views on

society held by the Danish police. The population

of Denmark is percieved by the police

to be divided between “customers” (i.e. criminals)

and “good Danish citizens”. The

border between these categories is maintained

partly by applying animal metaphors

to the customers, thereby strengthening the

notion of criminality as being of animal nature.

The article discusses the use of metaphors

and the hierarchy that is revealed in police

notions not only of society but of the

police organisation as well. The last part of

the article deals with the tasks of the

“community police”, their marginalized position

in the police organization, and the special

relationship they share with their clients.

It is argued that the practice of the community

policemen has a significant impact on

their views on crime-related issues, and that

a change of practice might have considerable

effect on both the views and the work of the

police as a whole.