Paper short abstract:

In a neighbourhood in St. Pauli-Süd, conflicts between police and residents regularly escalate. One of the points of contention is a police task force deployed to combat publicly perceivable drug-related crime. Locally the police are accused of racial profiling.

Paper long abstract:

The conflict between police and residents has grown historically and it is part of the identity and self-image of the local scene to be against the police. Squatting in the 1980s, a fear of eviction due to urban redevelopment, and violent confrontations with the police during demonstrations shaped an enmity towards the police. In addition, the neighbourhood is highly frequented by crowds of visitors and events; the Reeperbahn is within walking distance. This requires, or rather enables, extra police powers. Around the Balduintreppe there has been an established drug market for years; at peak times there are over 50 dealers in the place. The dealers are mostly of West African origin. After the police set up a task force to curb the drug trade, they are accused of racism. Changes at the macro level in recent years have been higher migration pressure and changes in criminal law on drug trafficking. The police are part of the problem and part of the solution. The convergence of unresolved socio-political issues is dumped on the police. The police, in turn, have only police instruments as a mandate and as an option for action, such as checks on persons, expulsions, identity checks, which they overuse in order to handle the situation to satisfy (political) superiors as well as demands for regulatory measures from parts of the population.