Several decades after the end of World War II, the German police still lack a convincing role model and self-concept. The much-touted image of the police as highly effective crime fighters is unrealistic: neither crime prevention nor crime clearance has met much success. Instead, during the 1970's and the 1980's, the police have gradually placed the protection of the country before the protection of the population and have emphasized the handling of politically motivated offenses such as illegal demonstrations or violent protest. In contrast, the police have been largely unresponsive to the needs of citizens who often call on the police for help in minor offenses and conflict resolution. Therefore, police must understand the need for concern for everyday problems and must find ways of keeping minor offenses and cases of conflict resolution from overburdening the courts. They must also focus on new forms of crime such as white-collar crime, drug crime, and organized crime. 25 references