Konfliktreducerande principer inom särskild polistaktik : En studie av polisens arbete vid ordningsstörande situationer

Since 2004 Swedish police have had a method of handling and managing crowds called Special police tactics or “SPT” as it’s usually referred to. The method is based on the new theories of mass psychology where the individual takes on a social identity associated with the situation. The method has changed the point of view, whereas in the old way it was more “Us and them” where you worked against the crowd and now there is a more integrated point of view where you try to work with the crowd. Conflict-reducing principles is the core of this new approach where the police use communication, facilitation, differentiation and knowledge to deescalate and manage crowds. Even though this conflict-reducing method is the principle that imbues the work with crows, disturbances still occur and the police get criticism for how they conduct themselves. This thesis aims to examine how the conflict-reducing principles are put into practice within the special police tactics and their importance to prevent violent situations while working with crowds. The focus lies in analysing the experiences of SPT educated police officers, within the Swedish police department, regarding the conflict-reducing principles application, effect and challenges. Clear guidance from leadership, more training and education regarding communication, application and culture improvements are the clear finds of this thesis.