Islamophobia and Law Enforcement : Police officers’ attitudes toward Muslims and Islam in Greece

Abstract: This study investigated law enforcement officers' personal beliefs and attitudes toward Muslims and Islam in Greece. Primary survey data collected directly from forty-eight active police officers in Greece, from different gender, age group and management level. An online questionnaire with twenty-five questions was developed, in order to assess the knowledge of and attitudes toward Muslims and Islam among the sample of the Greek police officers. The survey examined four broad areas. First, it aims to look at the respondents' general understanding of many of Islam's basic tenets. Following that, it examines some of the respondents' attitudes toward Muslims and Islam. Third, the survey aims to explore respondents' views on how Muslims and Islam are portrayed in the media. Finally, the level of officers’ contact with Muslims is investigated and to what extent police officers were eager to learn more about Muslim culture and Islam.  The results of data analyses demonstrate that the majority of police officers do not consistently base their knowledge of Muslims and Islam on stereotypes. Furthermore, their views on Muslims and Islam were not uniformly negative.