Community Reactions to Place-Based Police Work in Uppsala City : A qualitative study on emotion and reaction toward police in urban space

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore reactions and emotions within the community toward place-based police work in Uppsala city. Authority is something almost everybody is faced with on a daily basis and control of the urban place is one of those instances. Next to the purpose of this paper, there is also an aim to suggest further consideration of community reactions when developing future police strategies. Six members of the community have been interviewed in this study, sharing their thoughts and emotions toward police in the city, and four observations have been conducted to explore reactions from the community when interacting with the police on the street. Showing a tangible divide between the community and the police, and an unwillingness to interact but still a willingness to get closer together. This dichotomy between the community and the police department establishes the call for consideration of community reactions when developing strategies to monitor and control them.