Samenvatting

In this essay the role of McDonaldization in police strategies towards the public is examined. While the essence of police work is individualistic, the nature of the organization and its ongoing rationalization provide fertile ground for McDonaldization. Two police trust-building strategies rely on McDonaldized elements of predictability, standardization, calculability, and reliance on technological control. First, the police ‘service concept’ pushes citizens to submit digital, standardized crime reports which appear efficient but turn out inefficient and ineffective. Second, applying ‘procedural justice checklists’ during police stops stimulates box-ticking and implicitly encourages the police to avoid citizen interactions. The author concludes that these attempts to rationalize police-citizen relationships are counterproductive and alternative approaches towards citizens are required.