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Portrait David Brehm Sausdal. Photo: Johan Persson.

David Sausdal

Associate professor | Senior lecturer

Portrait David Brehm Sausdal. Photo: Johan Persson.

Terrorizing police : Revisiting ‘the policing of terrorism’ from the perspective of Danish police detectives

Author

  • David Sausdal

Summary, in English

A common conclusion in criminology is that fears of terrorism are being (mis)used. The media have used them to market their products, politicians to promote themselves as protectors, and the police have profited through being granted increased powers and resources. Some scholars even argue that one outcome has been a growing militarization of the police. This article revisits this debate. It does so by taking an ethnographic look at how the war on terror has affected a number of Danish police detectives’ daily work. In doing so, the paper shows how the idea that police (mostly) benefit from the war on terror somewhat misses the mark – at least when seen from the perspective of frontline officers. As the article demonstrates, rather than mobilizing Danish detectives, terrorism most often makes them feel mired.

Publishing year

2021

Language

English

Pages

755-773

Publication/Series

European Journal of Criminology

Volume

18

Issue

5

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Topic

  • Sociology

Keywords

  • Detective/police culture
  • ethnography
  • fear
  • frustration
  • militarization
  • policing

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1477-3708