The Northern Ireland Experience Tripoli Libya 24 25 September BROAD OBJECTIVES Brief review of Irish policing history Focus on Northern Ireland police reforms Identify common elements ID: 361790
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Slide1
POLICE REFORM AND DEVELOPMENT
The Northern Ireland
Experience
Tripoli, Libya,
24
– 25 SeptemberSlide2
BROAD OBJECTIVES
Brief review of Irish policing history
Focus on Northern Ireland police reforms
Identify common elements:
Key steps and processes
Frequent challenges
Outcomes and benefits
Elements reflected in other police reforms
Potential relevance for Libya
Discussion
Please ask questions at any timeSlide3
POLICING IN IRELAND
Always affected by political identities and tensions
Associated with foreign state control
Perceived as harsh and repressive
Unresponsive and unaccountable
Partition of Ireland (1921) creates two police forces:Northern Ireland - Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)Republic of Ireland - Garda SíochánaPolicing in Northern Ireland (1921 – 1969):Increasingly politicised and contentiousSlide4
POLICING THE ‘TROUBLES’
Increasing terrorism from 1969 – 1998
Increased role for the military in everyday policing
Increasing separation of police from the communitySlide5
THE POLICE STATIONS (FORTRESSES) OF THE ‘TROUBLES’Slide6
1998 BELFAST AGREEMENT
First significant peace effort in many years
Support from all parties in Northern Ireland
Endorsed by common referendum (71.1% of vote)
The RUC still largely Protestant (92%)
Policing reform is seen as key to a lasting peaceOne outcome is the Patten Commission:Patten Reform Report released in 1999175 sweeping recommendationsMajor change for the RUC and policing generallySlide7
REFORM STEPS AND PROCESS I
Begins with public perceptions of policing:
Multiple legitimate perspectives on policing
Confirms the central role of the community
Human Rights
Accountability (over 30 recommendations):Need for links to other institutionsGovernance board; complaints agency; inspectionsPrevent political interference and direction
Central function of community-based policingSlide8
REFORM STEPS AND PROCESS II
De-Militarization and Normalization:
Joint operations with the Army
Fortified police stations
Armoured vehicles
Police Organizational Structures:ManagementCommand-and-controlComposition and RecruitmentTraining, Education and DevelopmentSymbols and cultureSlide9
THE NEW POLICING VISION
Policing is impartial and taken out of politics
The police are clearly separated from the military
A new name, badge and symbols
Police represent all communities
Focus on anti-crime operationsSlide10
CRUCIAL ISSUE:
OPERATIONAL INDEPENDENCE
Police are given extraordinary powers:
Arrest, questioning, entry, seizure, detention
Essential need to minimize the risk of political influence
Patten recommends that the chief of police:No longer be operationally guided by the MinisterHave ‘operational responsibility’ for the policeChief must be able to exercise policing responsibilitiesOnly the chief – a career police officer – has the proper
:
Investigative and forensic facts
Operational expertise and judgementSlide11
OVERSIGHT OF REFORM
Patten recommends an independent means of overseeing and assessing reform
Oversight Commission for Policing Reform
(2000)
Broad mandate to:
MonitorEvaluateReport on progressHold police to account for pace and degree of reformReport publicly three times per yearImplementation of over 82% of Patten recommendations
OFFICE OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMISSIONERSlide12
SIGNIFICANT OUTCOMES
New
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Badge, uniform, symbols, equipment
Reduction from 13,500 to 7,500 police officers
Critical and ongoing relationships with outside actors:Policing Board and local Policing PartnershipsPolice Ombudsman and Criminal Justice InspectorateCivil society and citizen groupsIncreased proportion of Catholic police officers:From 8% in 2001 to 30% by 2011
Better criminal intelligence and operational effectiveness
An increasingly normalized policing environmentSlide13
SOME CHALLENGES REMAIN
Ongoing terrorism threat in Northern Ireland
Two distinct and divided communities remain:
Protestant – keep the union with the United Kingdom
Catholic – want a union with the Republic of Ireland
Annual parades and marchesSlide14
ANNUAL MARCHING
(RIOTING) SEASONSlide15
ANNUAL COSTS TO POLICING
Massive drain on financial and human resources
Damaged community relations:
Continuing tension and confrontation
Now with both communities
Direct impacts on police officers and moraleSlide16
ANY OBSTACLES?Slide17
BARRIERS TO
POLICE REFORM
Political indecision and interference
Resistance to change at senior police levels
Incoherent planning and internal coordination
Uncertainty and fear among police officersInsufficient community engagementAn over-focus on tactical police trainingLack of emphasis on organizational changesSignificant costs over the longer term
A pace of change that is slow and frustratingSlide18
ELEMENTS OF POTENTIAL RELEVANCE FOR LIBYA
Police reform is part of a wider justice system change
Conscious move away from military links
A focus on effective operations and community safety
Operational responsibility of the chief of police
Strong links to other justice and oversight organizationsStatutoryCommunity-basedRepresentative police organizations:WomenRegions
Minorities
Key elements as reflected in other reform initiativesSlide19
SECURING THE PEACE
ENSURING STABILITY
A REFORM PROCESS FOR POLICE
the
Northern
Ireland
experience
INTERNAL REVIEW
EXTERNAL REVIEW
IMPLEMENTATION AND OVERSIGHT
Prepare
the
ground
Engage public &
politics
Incentivise
Validate
and
legitimise
Unity
of
will
Cohesion
of forces
(
political
) (international & national)
Recognition
Retirement package
Representation
Modernisation
Empowerment
Oversight
Commission
Capability
Integrity
FrameworkSlide20
QUESTIONS?