Monialainen yhteistyö asiantuntijuuden muokkaajana kotouttamistyössä : näkökulmana poliisin työ

Abstract

Kotouttava työ haastaa poliisin ammatillista asiantuntijuutta moninaistuvassa yhteiskunnassa. Eri kieli- ja kulttuuritaustaisten yhteisöjen kanssa tehtävä yhteistyö voidaan nähdä vähemmistöjen osallisuutta edistävänä. Monialainen kotouttamistyö edellyttää ammatillisten osaamisvaatimusten ja organisatoristen rakenteiden tarkastelua osana poliisin ennalta estävää toimintaa.

Multi-agency collaboration is a widely used approach to promote two-way integration in Finland. Besides public authorities, it typically involves various actors from NGOs, ethnic or religious communities, and the private sector. In this article I analyse police offcers’ views and experiences of local multiagency collaboration. My specifc interest is in how involvement in multi-agency collaboration shapes the professional expertise of the police: how does it enhance their expertise in preventative police work, and what are the limits or opportunities for shared knowledge between “offcial” and “unoffcial” expertise in this context? The qualitative data consist of individual (N=15) interviews and a focus group interview with police offcers conducted between 11/2015 and 8/2017 in fve different regions in Finland. Based on a critical close reading, three analytical categories are identifed: knowledge of surroundings in local police work; professional autonomy; and the characteristics of emotional labour faced in collaboration. Police offcers show a high level of professional autonomy, and it seems that multi-agency collaboration creates various dilemmas for them. Professional boundaries are clear and fexible at the same time. Not surprisingly, police offcers feel that multiagency collaboration requires discreet interactive and contextual competence. Self-motivation and personal interest are emphasised. Organisational structures in police work may either promote or hinder collaboration in practice. In general, there is a need to further analyse and recognise collaborative expertise as an essential part of police professionalism in promoting two-way integration.