In Defense of Democracy: "The Dialogue Police"

Could you tell me how you developed the idea of making this documentary and how you got in touch with the protagonists?

Susanna: A friend told me about the dialogue police during the 2018 election campaign. She’d been out late and ran into some officers at a pub—kind of a wild encounter. I had never heard of the dialogue police before, and I was curious: what is this unit that only works with public gatherings and political events? So I contacted the communication department at the Swedish police agency. About 45 minutes after sending my email, Calle called me. He said, “Let’s meet and talk.” It turned out the timing was perfect—they were interested in making their work more known in Sweden. When I asked around, no one I knew had heard of them. But it still took about a year to get full access to film.

Calle: Yes, it was a long process. From the beginning, Susanna told us she wanted to do things properly. Sure, she could have just filmed us in public spaces, but she also wanted access inside the police building—our offices, meetings, everything. We had to apply for permits, and the application circulated internally for nearly a year.

Susanna: That long process also gave us time to get to know each other. We had many conversations—emails, phone calls, meetings—which helped build trust. For me, it was important to know that they really wanted to be part of the film. That made a big difference.

Calle, why did you think it was important for this documentary to be made?

Calle: The dialogue police unit has been around for 24 years, and I’ve been part of it for 13 years. We’ve always worked behind the scenes—on the streets, yes, but quietly. During the pandemic, we started asking ourselves: other police officers are filmed in action all the time—why not us? So we agreed, let’s try. And we had a good feeling about Susanna from the start.

Susanna: Also worth noting: in Sweden, we don’t have censorship. No state authority can tell a filmmaker what to cut. So everything I filmed, I was free to use however I saw fit. That’s very different from how it works in many other countries.

Calle, can you explain what the dialogue police actually does, and how the unit came to be?

Calle: The idea came after the EU summit in Gothenburg in 2001, which ended in violent riots. I was there as a young officer. The city looked like a war zone. Afterward, there was one of the biggest state investigations in Sweden’s history. The conclusion? The police needed to better understand society and how to interact with it. 

Politicians asked the police to develop a new approach, focused on dialogue. Originally, the task went to the hostage negotiation unit. One officer in Stockholm, who was also a researcher, began exploring crowd psychology. Since then, we’ve shifted from crowd control to crowd management, using theories like social identity theory and the Elaborated Social Identity Model.
The problem is that, often times, even though the constitution gives you the right to protest in the streets, you’re met by a line of police—helmets, shields, black uniforms, full protective gear—just standing there, staring at you. That kind of presence can feel intimidating. And often, even the police don’t fully understand why a particular group is demonstrating.

That’s why we actively seek out dialogue—we make contact, we ask questions. Our goal is to bring that knowledge back into the police force, so we understand: Why is this group here today? Why next Saturday? What do they want? It's about creating understanding and building knowledge. And we’ve seen the benefits. Over the past 15 or 20 years, we've needed fewer officers at protests, we've seen fewer riots, and there have been fewer injuries—on both sides, protesters and police. So yes, the impact is real. Researchers are still studying the Swedish model as a success story. But of course, we still face challenges. There are still riots from time to time, still tensions. Because society is changing—and change always brings friction.

As a police officer you seem critical of the police at the same time. I imagine that must be difficult sometimes. How do you navigate that?

Calle: Yes, it can be difficult. As dialogue officers, we bring a different perspective. We’re good communicators, but just as importantly, we’re good listeners. We bring what we hear from demonstrators back into the police system.

Sometimes when I raise concerns internally, I get reactions like, “Oh, here comes Calle again.” But it’s important. We’re not speaking for ourselves—we’re conveying the thoughts of the people out there. Still, it’s not always easy.

Susanna: It’s important to remember that dialogue officers also help people carry out their demonstrations—helping them achieve what they’ve planned. They’re facilitators, not just observers.

Susanna, did you do a lot of research on the police before starting to make this documentary? 

Susanna: No. I never imagined myself making a film about the police. I thought that I wasn’t particularly interested. But this unit was different—a link between citizens and police authority that most people don’t even know exists. In today’s world, where democracies are increasingly under pressure, it’s vital to support dialogue and diplomacy. This kind of policing can actually strengthen democratic rights.

How did the making of this film change your perspective on the police?

Susanna: I was moved by how much effort they put into treating everyone equally. It's not easy, but it's their goal. I saw how they tried to make space for all voices, regardless of the message. And several of the dialogue officers spoke out openly and criticized their own agency when it didn't follow the law or didn't treat everyone equally. So there are tensions. Sometimes the incident commander has different ideas than the dialogue officers about how to handle a demonstration. In those cases, the dialogue officers have no say and must adapt to the police leadership. And then, of course, the groups' trust in the dialogue officers can be damaged, which can be frustrating. It's not an easy job they have, but it's fascinating to get an insight into it. 

It seems like the work requires enormous patience. How do you manage that, Calle?

Calle: People always ask if we’re specially trained in patience. But I think it comes from having a clear role. We talk to people, explain the law, help them express themselves. And that builds mutual understanding. I’ve spoken to all kinds of people—some might call them extremists—but they’re still citizens. They still have the right to demonstrate.

Of course, some situations are emotionally tough. We support each other as a team, and sometimes we get outside help too. But we all believe in what we do. We’re a bit nerdy about it, really—we want to make society better.