Crisis Management in the midst of the Migrant Crisis : A Case Study of New Year's Eve 2015 in Cologne

This thesis explores the relationship between the improvisation from protocols and the adequacy of crisis management of the police in the case of New Year’s Eve 2015 in Cologne, Germany. It especially focuses on the influence of the contextual factor politicization and the role of distrust in the interplay with an adequate crisis management. The dataset combines official documents, parliamentary hearings with journalist interviews and an extensive media search. The findings suggest that preparatory mistakes, internal miscommunication and the context of the migrant crisis hindered a timely recognition and signalling of the crisis. The inaccuracy of crisis communication resulted in scapegoating of the Police President Cologne and in a loss of public trust. Blame games continued on higher political levels, but effects could not be taken into consideration here. The study suggests further research especially on the role of distrust in higher institutional level and the effects of the organizational culture.