There are several different models of international police programs. These include UNCIVPOL, ILEA, UNDPKO, and ICITAP. Let's take a look at some of them. These programs are not intended to replace the local police forces but to help them improve their capacities and increase public safety.
International police programs are becoming increasingly important in U.S. foreign policy as the United Nations has expanded its policing role overseas. ICITAP, or the International Police Training and Assessment Program, is a program that provides police training and support to developing nations. The program has served in more than sixty countries and requires police officers with experience and expertise in specific fields. Its mission is to improve local police forces and prevent indiscriminate use of force.
While the program began in the 1980s in Latin America, it has grown into a more comprehensive Department of Justice initiative. It has helped to promote international stability and the rule of law. Most of its programs are in post-conflict countries and are intended to build peace, strength, and development in their communities.
The UNCIVPOL international police program is a cooperative effort between Member States and the United Nations to enhance law enforcement in the developing world. The program's members receive standard operational procedures, human rights, and computer and local language training. Though some reforms have been implemented, analysts have judged that the system still faces significant shortcomings. This article addresses the problems perceived in three major areas: recruitment, training, and deployment. It also addresses the constraints to reform.
The deployment of UNCIVPOL personnel is a complex undertaking involving the rapid recruitment of qualified personnel, procurement of materials, and coordination of contributions from various nations. In the past, deployments have slowed due to insufficient funding and workforce. Adequate resources and a deployment lag ranged from six to eighteen months. Among other challenges, the Brahimi Panel's report identified four problems that have hampered the deployment process.
The International police program (ILEA) is a cooperative program between law enforcement agencies worldwide. The ILEA began in 1995 in Budapest, Hungary, and was established to help the police forces in emerging countries become more efficient and effective. According to Miles Burden, the ILEA's director, most police chiefs in these nations were democratically-minded but had little experience with the techniques of policing in a democracy. Since then, over 55,000 law enforcement officers from 85 countries have been trained at ILEA facilities.
Training programs are geared toward a wide range of criminal justice functions. They teach investigatory skills, primary case management, and forensics. Additionally, they focus on building law enforcement capacity and promoting the rule of law. Other goals of the ILEA program include strengthening law enforcement cooperation among countries in Africa and the United States and facilitating cross-border collaboration in combating transnational organized crime.
UNDPKO has a long-standing record of helping countries improve the capacity of their police forces. In addition to deploying UNCIVPOL personnel, UNDPKO also conducts on-the-ground assessments to determine what is needed to enhance the effectiveness of police forces in a given country. These assessments consider factors such as the local police force's strength and crime rates and the causes of crime.
The United Nations' current system of civilian police recruitment has three common problems. First, it is difficult to find police officers with the right experience and expertise to fulfill UNCIVPOL roles. Second, police officers often don't have experience in international human rights standards or community policing. Finally, there needs to be more consistency in the overall quality of the police recruited. The Brahimi Panel report made recommendations to address these problems.
During the Somali civil war, the UNOSOM II international police program was responsible for the security of the country. Its mandate was revised in February 1994. Since that time, UNOSOM II has served as a peacekeeping force and a military backup for the Somali government. Its mission is to help Somalia establish a federalist government based on 18 autonomous regions. In doing so, it has disarmed the various factions, helped people develop a representative government, and reconstructed the country's infrastructure.
However, this international police force needs to improve. Among the most significant concerns is the lack of funding and staffing. The UNCIVPOL was initially only effective for about six months before the U.N. and Cambodian governments began to withdraw. This gap hindered the mission's ability to complete its mandated tasks in Cambodia. It took several months for UNCIVPOL to deploy its CivPol component and two months before its strength reached the authorized level.
The Brahimi Panel report on the international police program recommends changes in the way the United Nations deploys its police force. It notes that the current system is still rife with problems. Despite the efforts of the Clinton Administration to fix the system, it needed to provide more resources for its implementation. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration has begun implementing many of the panel's recommendations.
The Brahimi report reemphasized the humanitarian nature of PKOs while emphasizing that transitional administrations, development, and reconstruction are equally vital. It also noted that peacekeeping missions should provide immediate relief and contribute to the long-term establishment of peace. However, such long-term commitments have put a strain on the U.N. Nevertheless, and the Brahimi report still recommends that peacekeeping operations be accompanied by an international pool of civilian police officers drawn from 80 participating states.
The State Department has a cadre program for international police that prepares U.S. law enforcement officers to respond to terrorist attacks in foreign countries. These officers are responsible for conducting counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations. They are also responsible for protecting U.S. diplomats and other international personnel. The program is performed at a specialized training facility in Blackstone, Virginia.
Special agents are also responsible for investigating crimes committed against State Department, U.S. Government, Consulate, and other foreign diplomatic staff. They also explore the activities of foreign intelligence agencies and apprehend fugitives. In addition, they perform background checks on State Department applicants and employees. These agents may also serve in law enforcement or security roles at U.S. embassies or missions, provide security assistance, protect senior diplomats, or perform other functions as needed.