This resource book starts from the assumption that police are crucial to the maintenance of order and the creation of an environment in which people can feel safe and secure. It argues that civil society can play an important role in enhancing police respect for human rights, but that in order to do so they need a thorough understanding of police realities and complexities. The appendix includes a tool for making a contextual analysis; an analysis believed to be essential for developing an effective strategy targeting the right actors. “Understanding policing” contains several checklists and charts for assessing aspects of policing. For example, a list is included with critical success factors for community policing. Moreover, it contains an overview of various policing philosophies in use, either by choice or by default, such as community policing, authoritarian policing, intelligence-led policing, problem-oriented policing, etc. The book pays considerable attention to the issue of police operational independence and its inherent requirement of accountability. A chart is presented for assessing accountability mechanisms used in the target country. It also has a separate chapter discussing the dilemmas and possible solutions for NGOs seeking to engage with police. It also describes (intervention) strategies NGOs may use, both local and international NGOs are discussed, to enhance police compliance with human rights principles.
