Abstract
<p> Police officers are the quintessential projection figures of the present day, which could explain their enduring popularity as literary and cinematic characters. Hardly a day goes by without the police being mentioned in the regional or national media. Whether they are portrayed as 'friends and helpers', 'good' or 'bad cops', 'guardian angels', or 'corrupt thugs' varies greatly. This volume examines how social and individual images of the police have changed since the early 20th century, how much reality there is in media portrayals of police officers, and how the relationship between the police and the media is mutually shaped. <bold>With contributions by</bold> Manuel Bolz | Simon Egbert | Martin Göllnitz | Mina Godarzani-Bakhtiari | Isabel Hilpert | Jasper Janssen | Natalija Köppl | Christoph Lorke | Sabine Meckling | Florentine Pramann | Peter Römer | Frederice Charlotte Stasik | René Tuma | Jonathan Voges | Nils Zimmer </p>