Police Work between Control and Care

Abstract

Police work is located between the poles of exercising social control and caring for vulnerable persons. In doing so, the police work hand in hand with other actors from the private and the public sectors. In addition, the police are in the public eye and their work, e.g., in the form of identity checks, is increasingly viewed critically by society. On 22 March 2017, a conference was organised at the University of Fribourg around such topics. The speakers were scientists, police and outreach social workers. This forum contribution summarises the presentations and explains their connections.