Is Legitimacy Police Property?

Abstract

This paper discusses the question whether or not the problem of legitimacy is one that the police themselves can manage. The answer to this question seems obvious: the police have a problem with their legitimacy and should consequently gain public trust and confidence by increasing their effectiveness. Contrary to this position, this paper defends the position that the police are not active agents in the construction on their own legitimacy. The paper begins with the classic Weberian sociological meaning of legitimacy by introducing the distinction between normative and empirical legitimacy. A remarkable geographical variability of empirical legitimacy is observed. The introduction of Community (Oriented) Policing is presented as a police strategy to raise the effectiveness of the police and consequently public confidence. Evaluation studies of COP do not give a satisfactory answer to this relationship.