week 6 - Police and Law Enforcement. Reforms, Civilian Control and Accountability Flashcards
What is the main feature of Police as agency?
Police: agency with power to use violence
in what ways Police is different from other state agencies? (5)
- Police can use coercive means of physical force or lethal weapons
- Police is the primary contact of citizens with their governments and justice systems
- People encounter the police in their everyday lives
- People perceive the existence of the state through the contact with police
- Police represents the authority of the state in a concrete
form
Treatment that people receive from police has
important effects. What are those effects?
Perceptions of the fairness and effectiveness of
their government
- Perception on the rule of law in a society
what is the ultimate goal of the police?
to enforce the rule of law by fulfilling their duties as impartial enforcers of law
Define Police accountability and capacity?
Accountability – police is checked and constrained by
other institutional actors to guarantee the impartiality of its function
Capacity – police has resources to be able to perform
its duties
Define features of Police Accountability?
To police the police”
Who investigates the crimes committed by the police?
Transparency and societal control
Related - Autonomy of the police
Institutional mechanism for protecting police from political influence to guarantee its neutrality and impartiality
If police is dependent on political actors, police
may end up serve as oppression tool
Why police needs capacity?
The police needs capacity for the successful
implementation of law
What is Extensive capacity of police?
number of police troops, to ensure sufficient police presence across the territory
What is Intensive capacity of police?
Intensive capacity – discipline, training, equipment,
cars, weapons, etc.
Define Typology of police forces, depending on the degree of the capacity and accountability held by police
“Arbitrary enforcers” (oppressive police)
“Impartial enforcers” (democratic police)
“Palace guards” (secret police)
“Mediators” (parochial police)
Define features of The “Arbitrary Enforcer”?
STRONG Capacity / WEAK accountability
Arbitrary enforcers enforce the law and maintain public security by using their strong capacity
They are dependent on the political leaders who direct
them and lack any checks or oversights by outside actors
Result: Police can oppress people
Define features of The “Impartial Enforcer”?
STRONG Capacity / STRONG Accountability
Capacity to enforce the law by using force, BUT Restrained by checks and oversight
Any unfairness in the law enforcement could be successfully monitored and punished
Protection “BY” the police and “FROM” the police
Define features of The “Palace Guard”?
WEAK Capacity / WEAK Accountability
No capacity to enforce the law and maintain public
security everywhere in the country – their power is
mostly near the political center
“Low policing” (crime prevention/investigation) gets
low priority
Define features of The “Mediator” (parochial police)?
WEAK Capacity / HIGH Accountability
The high accountability of police, without the maintenance of strong police capacity, leads to “police capture” by local elites or interest groups
- local politicians connect with police officers at a closer distance and can oversight the police law enforcement at the local level
- Risk of police falling under control of local elites
What are the Models of Police?
- Decentralized systems (many police forces)
- Mixed system (1-2 national police forces + local police force)
- Centralized system (one national police force, no local police)
