Abstract

The article starts with an overview of the role of the police within the German political system and sketches recent developments and tendencies towards structures and processes of plural policing. Plural policing in this context is understood in the sense of ‘the expanding role of non-police service providers in policing, and the variety of different public, private and voluntary bodies now engaged in the activity’ (Wakefield, 2009, 227), with a special focus on the local level. In addition, the most prominent stakeholders in plural policing are introduced, followed by a description of the current forms and patterns between these stakeholders and the police. After analysing some relevant chances and obstacles of plural policing, the author focuses on local safety and security governance before ending with considerations upon plural policing and the changing role of the state.