LESSONS AND BEST PRACTICES IN POLICE REDESIGN

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LESSONS AND BEST PRACTICES IN POLICE REDESIGN

• MEXICO CITY , MEXICOJULY 14, 2005

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MAJOR LESSONS FROM PRIOR POLICE REFORM EFFORTS

• ACCURATE PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND STRATEGIC
  PLANNING ARE KEYS TO EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS
• REFORM STRATEGY MUST PRIORITIZE ACTIVITIES AND
  PROVIDE FOR QUICK WINS AND LONG TERM EFFORTS
• BUY-IN BY THE POLICE INSTITUTIONS AND PERSONNEL
  WILL SUPPORT REFORM REDUCE SPOILERS
• PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS AND INFORMATION FLOW ARE
  CRITICAL TO PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF REFORM
• IDENTIFING RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS AND DEVELOPING
  RESOURCE STRATEGY IS CRITICAL
• POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR INSTITUTIONAL REFORM AND
  RECOGNITION OF ITS LONG-TERM NATURE IS VITAL

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OVERVIEW OF FACTORS IN EFFECTIVE POLICE REFORM

• SUPPORTING AMENDED LEGISLATION (if and as
  needed), DOCUMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
• NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING (problem
  diagnostic, identification of priorities, and
  development of a strategic plan)
• INSTITUTIONAL AND CULTURAL CHANGE PROCESSES
• PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT (role of the
  public in effective law enforcement)
• OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
• POLITICAL WILL TO SUPPORT REFORM AND
  ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

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LEGISLATION, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

• ORGANIC LAW DEFINING POLICE MISSION, ROLE,
  RESPONSIBILITIES AND STRUCTURE (organizational,
  administrative, and managerial infrastructures
  that must be in place)
• EFFECTIVE CRIMINAL AND PROCEDURAL CODES TO
  SUPPORT POLICE MISSION
• FORMAL POLICE POLICIES THAT SUPPORT RULE OF
  LAW/RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
• DOCUMENTED SYSTEM OF STANDARD OPERATING
  PROCEDURES (SOPs) THAT LINK DIRECTLY TO THE LAWS
  AND TO TRAINING

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

• ANALYSIS OF POLICE MISSION AND FUNCTIONS (may
  differ from current mission and functions)
• ANALYSIS OF CRIME SITUATION AND RESOURCES/TACTICS
  NEEDED TO ADDRESS IT
• ORGANIZATIONAL AUDIT TO ASSESS CAPICITY TO MEET
  MISSION AND FUNCTIONS
• PERSONNEL AND RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS (based on
  mission, functions and crime analysis)
• TRANSLATE REFORM GOALS AND REQUIREMENTS INTO A
  STRATEGIC PLAN (a roadmap for reform that
  includes both short-term quick wins and
  long-term strategies)
• DONOR/REFORM PARTNER COORDINATION MECHANISM

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INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE PROCESSES

• REDEFINITION OF POLICE MISSION, ROLE AND CORE
  VALUES (Public Service Model, human rights,
  community policing)
• TRANSPARENT, MERIT-BASED SELECTION, RECRUITMENT,
  AND PROMOTION STANDARDS PROCESSES
• APPROPRIATE VETTING STANDARDS AND PROCESSES FOR
  EXISTING PERSONNEL
• EFFORTS TO PROMOTE BUY-IN BY EXISTING POLICE
  MANAGEMENT AND PERSONNEL (Reduce spoilers)
• TRAINING PROGRAMS AND CURRICULA THAT FLOW FROM
  LAWS AND REINFORCE POLICE POLICIES, SOPs AND
  ANALYSIS OF THE CRIME SITUATION
• INTEGRATE POLICE REFORM WITH REFORM IN OTHER
  JUSTICE SECTOR AREAS (Courts, Prosecutors, Public
  Defenders)

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POLITICAL WILL

• BUY-IN FOR POLICE REFORM PROCESS AND PUBLIC
  SUPPORT FOR OBJECTIVES
• DEVELOP CONSENSUS ON GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF
  REFORM
• USE POLITICAL CAPITAL TO BUILD PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR
  REFORM
• IDENTIFY AND PLAN FOR PROVISION OF NECESSARY
  HUMAN AND FISCAL RESOURCES (adequate pay scales,
  basic equipment, training, etc.)
• STAY THE COURSE WHEN THERE ARE BUMPS IN THE
  ROAD AND RECOGNIZE LONG-TERM NATURE OF
  INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT

• PUBLIC IS CRITICAL TO EFFECTIVE POLICING AND
  INVESTIGATION (information from public solves
  crimes, forensics are a tool to corroborate
  information from the public)
• MECHANISM FOR PUBLIC INPUT INTO REDEFINITION OF
  POLICE MISSION, ROLES AND PROCEDURES
• SUPPORT EFFORTS FOR BUY-IN BY PUBLIC AND
  INTEREST GROUPS
• CONTINUOUS AND ONGOING INFORMATION EFFORT TO
  INFORM PUBLIC OF GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND PROGRESS

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OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

• PROMULGATION OF FORMAL CODES OF CONDUCT AND USE
  OF FORCE POLICIES (part of police SOP system)
• ESTABLISHMENT OF EFFECTIVE INTERNAL OVERSIGHT
  MECHANISMS (Inspectors General, OPR)
• SUPPORT FOR EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT MECHANISMS
  (Citizen Complaints Directorate, Ombudsman, etc.)
• TRANSPARENCY IN ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
  (contracting, procurement, personnel, records
  management, etc.)

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QUICK FIXES THAT HAVE NOT WORKED

• REORGANIZATION AND RESTRUCTURING Reorganization
  of an institution without changes in policies and
  procedures rarely produces institutional change
  or changes in the institutional culture.
• AD HOC TRAINING Police training without
  institutional and procedural reform is unlikely
  to change undesirable behaviors that are
  ingrained in an institution
• CHANGING PERSONNEL Changing personnel without
  fundamental changes in the systems and culture of
  an organization does not foster institutional
  change.
• BUYING EQUIPMENT Introducing new equipment into
  a system that is corrupt and/or lacks respect for
  human rights will not foster institutional change
  and can worsen an already bad situation by making
  abusive polices and procedures more efficient.

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TYPICAL POLICE FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT

• HQ FUNCTIONS (organization, management, mission
  statements, planning, policy development, SOPs,
  etc.)
• PATROL FUNCTIONS (crime response strategy, 911
  systems, patrol schemes, equipment requirements,
  walking/bike patrols, etc.)
• CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS (crime scene procedures,
  evidence collection, handling of witnesses,
  report writing, etc.)
• FORENSIC/CRIMINALISTICS (evidence handling
  procedures, evidence processing, analysis
  capabilities, external
• TRAFFIC CONTROL (traffic management, traffic
  enforcement, accident investigation, emergency
  management, etc.)
• TRAINING (curricula and lesson plan development
  capabilities, instructor development,
  instructional equipment, facilities, etc)
• ADMINISTATIVE AND MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS (records
  management, procurement, budget/financial
  management, etc.)
• COMMUNICATIONS (equipment, communication
  protocols, command/crisis center operations,
  access to automated systems, etc)
• CRIME ANALYSIS (crime data collection, incident
  mapping, identification of hotspots, crime
  trends analysis, etc)
• CRIME PREVENTION (preventive patrolling,
  neighborhood watch, community policing
  strategies, business partnerships, etc)
• PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE CONTROL (secure storage,
  accountability systems, secure transfer, final
  disposition, etc.)
• PUBLIC INFORMATION (press releases, public access
  to documents and information, police/community
  meetings, etc.)