police violence / police power
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police violence
In general usage, often refers to the unlawful or disproportionate use of force by police officers. In this sense, the term is synonymous with police brutality.
Die Demonstranten protestierten gegen die exzessive Polizeigewalt bei der Räumung des Platzes.
The demonstrators protested against the excessive police violence during the clearing of the square.
The word is made up of 'Polizei' (police) and 'Gewalt' (violence/power). The two meanings arise because 'Gewalt' in German can mean both 'Gewalttätigkeit/Brutalität' (violence/brutality) and 'Macht/Befugnis' (power/authority), as in 'Staatsgewalt' (state power).
Die Diskussion um Polizeigewalt dreht sich oft um die Frage, wann Gewalt legitim ist.
The discussion about police violence often revolves around the question of when force is legitimate.
The negative meaning (brutality) is most common in everyday language and in the media. You can recognize the neutral, legal meaning (authority) by a formal, legal context and by verbs like 'ausüben' (to exercise) or 'regeln' (to regulate).
Ein Artikel berichtet über neue Vorwürfe von Polizeigewalt. (negativ)
An article reports on new allegations of police violence. (negative)
In the critical sense, 'Polizeigewalt' (police violence) is often used with certain verbs and nouns. Typical examples are: 'gegen Polizeigewalt protestieren' (to protest against police violence), 'Opfer von Polizeigewalt werden' (to become a victim of police violence), or 'Vorwürfe von Polizeigewalt' (allegations of police violence).
Die Organisation dokumentiert Fälle von mutmaßlicher Polizeigewalt.
The organization documents cases of alleged police violence.
In the legal sense, 'Polizeigewalt' (police power) often appears in fixed expressions. These include 'die Ausübung der Polizeigewalt' (the exercise of police power), 'die Grenzen der Polizeigewalt' (the limits of police power), or 'die rechtlichen Grundlagen der Polizeigewalt' (the legal foundations of police power).
Im Jurastudium lernt man die rechtlichen Grenzen der Polizeigewalt kennen.
In law school, you learn about the legal limits of police power.
state authority / state power
'Polizeigewalt' and 'Staatsgewalt' both have to do with power and coercion by the state. 'Staatsgewalt', however, is much broader: it means the power of the state as a whole, including, for example, the government, courts, parliament, and police. 'Polizeigewalt' refers only to the police. In a legal sense, it can neutrally mean the authorized coercive power of the police. In everyday language, however, 'Polizeigewalt' often means excessive or unlawful force by police officers. Learners may confuse the words because both contain 'Gewalt'. The important point is: 'Staatsgewalt' is usually neutral and general, while 'Polizeigewalt' is narrower and often has a critical meaning in everyday language.
Nach der Demonstration gab es viele Diskussionen über mögliche Polizeigewalt.
After the demonstration, there were many discussions about possible police violence.
In einer Demokratie ist die Staatsgewalt auf verschiedene Organe verteilt.
In a democracy, state power is distributed among different bodies.