Open AccessFJER OM MULEN VED MORGENGRY: Om brugen af dyremetaforer i det danske politi
Author(s) -
Lars Holmberg
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
antropologi
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2596-5425
pISSN - 0906-3021
DOI - 10.7146/ta.v0i33.115326
Subject(s) - danish , hierarchy , sociology , police science , criminology , population , political science , public relations , law , criminal justice , philosophy , linguistics , demography
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.