POLICE REFORM WITHIN
AN SSR FRAMEWORK
Alexander Mayer-Rieckh
Workshop on Police Reform, Tripoli, 24 September 2013
Security sector reform

Security – a multi-dimensional definition
Traditional state-centred security
 Human security


Security sector – a comprehensive understanding
Security and justice
 Security providers and oversight actors
 State and non-state actors


Security sector reform – 2 core goals
Effectiveness and efficiency
 Accountability and integrity


Police reform is more than reforming the police!
People-centred policing

Multi-dimensional security – effective service in
response to threats facing the people and its state
 Policing
is a service
 Policing starts and ends with the people = client
 Concepts: democratic policing, community policing,
intelligence-led policing…

Accountable to the people
 Directly
 Indirectly
Police within the security sector

Police cannot function on its own
 Criminal
justice chain: police-justice-corrections
 Reinforce relationship with prosecutor

Policing is not just done by the police
 Other
law enforcement actors
 Non-state actors (security groups, private companies…)
 Whoever exercises police powers

Policing is related to other security functions
 Internal
and external security – military
 Policing and intelligence
2 core goals of police reform
A police agency


Capacity and integrity
framework (CIF)



2 institutional levels
2 institutional qualities
Not just capacity for
operational effectiveness
and service delivery but
also…
Integrity and accountability
in accordance with good
governance
Police reform: promote


2 qualities at
2 levels
CAPACITY/
EFFECTIVENESS
INTEGRITY/
ACCOUNTABILITY
INTERNAL

A POLICE AGENCY
• Mandate
• Human resources
• Infrastructure, equipment
• Structure, rules, procedures
• Etc.
• Human rights, conduct
• Disciplinary procedures
• Budgetary accountability
• Representation
• Etc.
EXTERNAL

• National strategies
• Management bodies
• Cooperation
• Etc.
• Formal oversight
• Informal oversight
• Independence
• Etc.
Accountability

Who guards the guardians?
Policing is a critical and sensitive function
 Abuse of or by the police severely impacts on democracy


Multiple accountability
Formal-informal mechanisms
 Internal-external
 To whom: the people, the media, the parliament, the
government, the judiciary, the ombudsperson…


Accountability is not control
Accountability is answerability, control is interference
 Accountability of operationally independent agencies

Other integrity issues

Representation within the police
Gender, ethnicity, regional, religious, etc.
 How to balance different types of representation?



Identification – visualize accountability
Transparency


Public reports, press conferences, public access to police
buildings, community liaison office…
Symbols – change perceptions
Insignia, locations, names, memorials, apologies…
 Positive or negative reinforcements

Democratic vs. regime policing
Regime policing





Protect government rather
than citizens
Answer to regime, not to
people
Control populations rather
than protect communities
Secure interests of one
dominant group
Stay outside the
community
Democratic policing





Protect individuals and
human rights
Accountable to the law,
not a law unto itself
Accountable to democratic
structures and the
community
Transparent in its activities
and adhere to good
governance
Representative of the
community it serves