Policing Drugs: Legitimacy, Practice, and the Self-Legitimacy of Drug Detectives

Exploring the complex interplay between drug law enforcement and self-legitimacy among police officers, this book, through ten months of ethnographic research in Belgian cities, examines how drug detectives justify their role within a challenging landscape of moral, social, and legal dilemmas.

Steven Debbaut is postdoctoral researcher in Criminology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium. His research delves into the intersections of drug policy, police legitimacy, and the self-legitimacy of law enforcement officers. Through publications on drug criminalisation, enforcement, and the cultural frameworks within police institutions, Debbaut provides critical insights into the moral-philosophical foundations of drug criminalisation, the societal impacts of enforcement practices, and the cultural aspects of police work.