Review: Rafael Behr (2006). Polizeikultur. Routinen – Rituale – Reflexionen. Bausteine zu einer Theorie der Praxis der Polizei [Police Culture: Routines—Rituals—Reflexions. Elements of a Theory of Practice of the Police]

Abstract

The book delivers an insight into the current culture of the police. BEHR wisely chooses not to argue from the perspective of police management but from the point of view of police officers themselves, those who do the actual policing. Despite this, a careful reading of the book shows that the author does not reach his aim of providing the elements for a theory of police practice. This failure arises because BEHR neither presents his own empirical study nor systematically uses scientific literature but instead relies on personal impressions and valuations, which are not empirically proven. His work also contains a number of formal shortcomings. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs080315