POLICE REFORM AND DEVELOPMENT - PowerPoint Presentation

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?