Insights

This was originally published in the Opinion section of Justiceinfo.net   (Image: © Bryan R. Smith / AFP)

All eyes have been on protests and calls for police reform in the United States and Europe in recent weeks, and public confidence in policing institutions is at an all-time low in many countries around the world. The police are the guardians of the criminal justice system. It is the physical manifestation of the social contract and, as such, the level of trust between the people and the police is a litmus test of the state of development of a democratic society.

The decline in public confidence in security institutions in general - police and military - is a worrying trend, and it appears that this crisis may well be the catalyst for needed reform. Countries that have made the transition from conflict to peace, to an effective rule of law and democratic control, have learned that an accountable security and justice system is the foundation upon which political, social and economic.

The current debate on the "de-financing" of the police should therefore not focus on whether society needs it, but rather whether the role of police - as an institution of last resort for all. the problems of society - is actually effective or sustainable. Over time, the traditional mandate of the police - to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent, detect and investigate criminal activity - has been broadened to compensate for shortcomings in political and economic systems and civic engagement. And this is where the whole problem lies.

PRACTICE AT HOME WHAT YOU PREACH ABROAD

Police reform, like that of all areas of the security sector, is as much a political and social challenge as it is a technical and legal one. It is time for Western countries to put into practice at home what they have been preaching for decades to so-called developing countries. The same development and security assistance programs that support reforms in the South, in particular, could provide guidelines and best practices for reforming police in Western countries.

Forged through the test of experience and tested over long periods of time, the principles that guide such reforms are well known. They have been enshrined and reinforced in the policies and official declarations of nothing less than the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union.

First, police reform must be a political priority and commitment, owned and defined locally. Change must be based on strong political commitment, and police personnel themselves