INTRODUCING PROBLEM ORIENTED COMMUNITY POLICING TO PAKISTAN IN THE CONTEXT OF DEVOLUTION. Dr. Hilton Root Islamabad, April 28 29, 2007

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1 INTRODUCING PROBLEM ORIENTED COMMUNITY POLICING TO PAKISTAN IN THE CONTEXT OF DEVOLUTION Dr. Hilton Root Islamabad, April 28 29, 2007

2 Background for Reform Traditional model of policing has created tension between the police and the community resulting in mutual suspicion. Mistrust of each others intentions must be overcome in order to build a partnership between police and community. Local Government Plan 2000 and Police Ordinance 2002 address these concerns by providing the legal framework for reform.

3 Creating an Integrated Law Enforcement Service Critical to Pakistan s emergence as a strong and integrated part of the global economy, capable of managing its citizen s needs, it will need strong systems of citizen accountability and a police force that collaborates with the population to create a more secure environment.

4 Devolution Devolution of powers allows for the opportunity to create this integration Decentralization must find ways to break down barriers heal old wounds, promote a participatory ethos

5 Community Policing Enhance citizen monitoring of law enforcement Enable better police performance by giving them the benefit of having greater community involvement. Provide a basis for monitoring and evaluation that will enable Citizen Community Boards (CCB s) to contribute their localized knowledge to enhance the performance of public authorities.

6 Responsible Political Administration Grounded In Citizen Access 1. Address the over-concentration of authority 2. Diffuse the responsibilities of the deputy commissioner 3. Separate operational and routine activities from policy formation and ensure strong community oversight over both 4. Create transparent information systems at all levels in the management of public safety through information technology and automation within all levels of government jurisdictions 5. Institute standardized information on crime reporting, on financial accountability, and quality and level of service delivery

7 Long-Term Goals: Community and Problem-Oriented Policing Strategies Executed by changing the nature of police work through the adoption of community and problem-oriented policing strategies. Implementing a proactive approach- instead of just responding, actually preventing a crisis

8 Goals for the Police 1. Motivate the police to participate and identify with new goals. 2. Reorganizing police operations to broaden the police domain beyond search, seizure and arrest to include planning, communicating, and anticipating. 3. Ensure feedback 4. Solve conflicts lawfully, with community interests in mind.

9 Changing Attitudes The biggest challenge is gaining the acceptance of the police of this new understanding of their law enforcement duties Instead of being a threat, the community becomes the most valuable resource and partner of the police

10 What can police forces do to make community policing an operational reality?

11 Operational Definition of Community Policing 1. Measure: institute measures that improve the quality of life of citizens, specifically safety 2. Identify tensions between the police and the community, reduce hostility and improve communication. Administering justice is total community responsibility 3. Facilitate teamwork between police the public and public service agencies

12 Operational Definition of Community Policing 4. Assess: in collaboration with the police and the CCB s, assess policies needed for police reform 5. Adjusting: resources to the needs of the community determined through consultation 6. Mobilization: linking resources to recognize public safety issues 7. Problem Solving: remedying conditions that cause crime and insecurity

13 Re-socializing the Officers 1. Effective Communication 2. Building consensus 3. Action planning 4. Conflict management 5. Interpersonal situations

14 Crime Prevention Shift current focus of policing from arrest, search and seizure to preventing and protecting individual citizens from crime Identify the cause and effect from delinquency to crime Engage the community in self-protection Creating a community infrastructure to work with external agencies such as the police departments

15 Changing Strategy and Structure Reform the governance structure so that the oversight boards do not serve at the whim of political machines - Create specialized independent oversight of police - Protect the independence of CCBs and DTCE Require legality and fairness in all police activities

16 Recruitment Staff the police with appropriate people through meritocratic promotion processes, ensure staff has confidence of local community Develop capacities of police executives to manage reform Ensure that promotions are not made on the basis of political connections Ensure that the head of a police organization is selected on the basis of competence and police experience, and not easily or arbitrarily removed from office

17 Police Culture Addressing competing internal values Tactical culture of police operations Ensure harmony with community cultural sensitivities by recruiting from the same district Encourage police-community interaction Create grievance mechanisms Monitor individual compliance with organizational objectives Link calls for service to performance measurement

18 Measuring Police Performance Ensure that measurement allows the police to know if the source of the problem has been resolved or diminished Traditional measures may not reflect improved performance Has the level of harm been reduced? Does the harm take longer to reoccur?

19 Where to begin 1. Introduce merit criteria at entry-level, testing recruits for their suitability to implement community-based practices 2. Introduce community-based promotional testing and Diagnostic Assessment Centers Training for police official on community-based approaches. 3. Work with community leaders to identify opportunities to infuse the police with a community-based orientation.

20 Conclusion Decentralization offers government the opportunity to change the role, mission, goals, policies, philosophy and procedures of police organization