1. Evaldas Visockas Law Institute of Lithuania Community and police: the story about “us and them”

2. Two groups of the society  Image of police in society is dual. From one side police is a part of the same society. From other side it is institution representing state and its control mechanism  The ones “in control” and the ones being “controlled”  Police is granted the rights and duties are associated with other beliefs and moral values, different from other citizens

3. Punitive image  Representing state apparatus and linking with power usage with purpose to control the society often is a reason to think of police as of different category of citizens

4. Corrupt police image  Many people in Lithuania believe that police officers take bribes

5. Trust and confidence in police  The same understanding of right and wrong  Procedural fairness  Effectiveness of police work  Responsibility and accountability

6. Knowledge of police work specifics  people do not make difference between different police forces  people expect police officer to do everything  without knowledge about police, people percept police by evaluating possible motives and intentions of police officers

7. Friendly police officer  the idyllic image of the friendly local police officer on the beat, talking to citizens and solving (minor) problems, disputes or conflicts  the police as your friend  for the people and with the people

8. Encounters with police  perceptions of police not allways based on direct police encouters and personal experience. According survey of Ministry of Interior Affairs (2005-2011) only 26-34% of respondents had a direct contact with police  that means that other part of citizens build their perceptions in other ways

9. Police in media  Power of creating stories  Interpretation of events  Creation of expectations

10. Police views towards citizens  Partners (competent or incompetent)  Victims – loosers. They have deserved it  Criminals – they must be isolated

11. Different points of view within organization  Not necessarily police officers have the same understanding with headquarters what are good policing standards  Police culture  Understanding of community policing

12. Thank you for your attention Evaldas Visockas Law Institute of Lithuania evaldas.visockas@teise.org