In the Spotlight of the (In-)Security Theatre? Changing Self-Representations of the Police in West Berlin

14 July 2026

How does the police portray itself – and how is it perceived by society? This question lies at the heart of the new working paper by our Senior Researcher Marcel Schmeer. The paper examines the historical development of police public relations and image politics using the example of the police in (West) Berlin.

Starting from the observation that the police in liberal democracies simultaneously embody security, state authority and social conflict, the study traces changing police self-images and public relations efforts from the early Cold War to the present day. It focuses on different forms of public staging and communication – from the large-scale police parades of the post-war era to reform concepts of a more “citizen-oriented” police force in the 1970s and contemporary image campaigns and social media strategies.

The paper argues that the relationship between police and society is never static but constantly renegotiated. Public perception, media representation and political expectations all shape the legitimacy of state security actors. In doing so, the study also offers a historical perspective on current debates surrounding the police in Germany.

For further reading, see the related publication by Marcel Schmeer:
“Alb-Traum Bürgernähe?”

The article can be downloaded here.

More information on the Working Paper Series of CISS Munich can be found here.

Picture: CISS