From conflict to cooperation. exploring post-conflict interactions between police and citizens.

Police officers are more than part of the strong arm of the law and citizens more than residents of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Police and citizens are also people who are related to each other. They undeniably need each other to achieve a safe Netherlands. Conflicts arise in every relationship; these even have an important function. Conflicts clarify, deepen and strengthen a relationship. At least, as long as there is reconciliation after the conflict. Police-citizen contacts also occasionally lead to open criticism, frustration, dissatisfaction and further escalation, especially when it comes to the appropriate use of force. This thesis focuses on open conflicts between the police and citizens. She explores whether the relationship(s) between people involved and the way in which contacts between police and citizens after conflicts influence each other. It is also explored whether reconciliation can have a positive influence on police-citizen relations. This is done on the basis of a qualitative analysis of the reflections of those involved in various police-citizen conflict cases at group level and on the basis of reflections of community police officers on conflict and reconciliation. The most important conclusions: • The ideas that police and citizens have about the relationship with the other influence the way in which they have contact after an open police-citizen conflict; • Reconciliation positively affects the relationship between citizens and police involved in an open conflict. • Not only laws, rules, protocols and (fundamental) rights are important in the relationship between police and citizens, but also that contact itself. • We must recognize how this interpersonal component of the police-citizen can have a positive and negative influence on the course of police-citizen contacts and effective police work.