Police Partnerships With Non State Actors (Research Paper Sample)

POLICE PARTNERSHIPS WITH NON STATE ACTORS
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Introduction
The world population have increased, and societies have become more and more complex. The increased complexities have resulted to increased crime, oppression, and insecurity. The increased insecurity, crime and oppression, have made the process of getting justice a difficult and rigorous affair. Many countries have experienced a rise in the insecurity rates and it is becoming more difficult to get justice.
Non state actors are organizations that are note attached or associated to any state and they participate in international issues and relationships. They influence change in the international realm without having association to state or institution. They are of many different types and purposes; these include multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, violent non-state actors, international media, religious groups, cell- base intelligent agents, and transnational Diasporas societies. They are very important in the international relations and cooperation.
Some of the roles of these entities are in the opinion making in the international matters. Some formal international organizations involve non state actors in decision making (Holmqvist, 2005, p. 7). Example of these is Human Rights Council which contacts such entities, mostly NGOs, in the process of partnerships at the international levels. Another important activity of the non state entities is the peace-building in the national and international levels (Holmqvist, 2005, p. 8). The example of such peace- building contribution from the non state actors is the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), which has been, on the forefront in pursuing countries and institutions to do away with anti-personnel landmines.
Police are people responsible for maintenance of law and order in a country (Wright, 2002, p. 243). They are also involved with detection and prevention of the crime while protecting property, liberty, and life of the citizens. With increased crime; police service and importance have multiplied. The police is very important in the administration of justice and provision of necessary balance in the community.
Is it politically and practically feasible to consider police partnerships with non state actors so as to extend access to justice and security?
The maintenance of justice and security also involve politics, who influences how these elements are implemented. The politics are different from one country to another and these influences how the states relate in the international levels. The partnerships with non status actors in the security and justice access depend on the political goodwill. It becomes more complex and fragile when it involves the conflict-stricken states (Wright, 2002, p. 19). The practical feasibility of the partnership between the police and the non state actors is dependant on many factors. Some of these include the nature of the non state actor, the state of the police to citizen relationship the influence desired, the resource requirement, and the state of justice and security in a given country.
The states always will look ways to ensure crime rates are reduced, and every person is getting justice. This is due to the relation between the national security and the peace and justice. Police have a central function in the maintenance of the rule of law. The partnership should result to the advancement of the police functions. The international image also matters when it comes to the partnership between the police and the non state actors. This is because image determines the extent of the influence of the non state actors.
It is not in all cases that the partnership between the police and non states actors is politically or practically feasible in improving access to justice and security. This is due to several factors, which are depending on the nature of the country, and that of the non state actors. Some of the factors include the security and justice states of a country the other is the experience of the non state actors in the improvement of the access of justice and security internationally, then the political goodwill of the country, the state and nature of the police force in a given country, international intervention, and the infrastructures in a given country.
Some countries in the world have experienced war and civil unrest, making it difficult for the ordinary citizens to access security and justice. When a country is at war or unrest, the state of disorder increases, and this make it very difficult for the police to maintain laws and order. Injustice and crime level go high, and this complicate thing further. The constitution is ignored, and democracy is turns to anarchy. The justice is restricted, and those who suffer highest are the poor, and the low ranked. This creates a cycle of injustices and loose of trust to the government by its citizens. To restore order and sanity, it may call for the intervention of appropriate non state actor, who will oversee the implementation and restore of access to security and justice. Most successful of such non states organization will have a good reputation with the citizens and will also have goodwill from the authority in the said country, successfully restore access to justice.
The experience and the nature of the non state actor in the improvement of access to security at the international levels are important in a successful partnership. These will be dependent on thee nature and the people involved with the non state actor. The ability to influence and how to deal with the situation when the justice need to be accessed and security improved are dependent on experience of the entity. This will help in dealing with complex situations that can be faced when the country is in a state of anarchy. The nature of the non state actor is important since there are varying types of such entities with different missions. So police cannot just partner with any entity, but the one with a proven track record of improving access to justice.
The other important element is political goodwill to engage the non state actor. Some countries do not allow certain non state actors to involve in the affairs of their countries (Peter, 2009, p.110). The citizens may also not be having faith and trust in that entity and these make it very difficult to develop the necessary connections, to help in improved security and access to justice. The good will from the authority will allow the partnership to prosper to benefit the citizens who are insecure or denied justice.
The success depends on the nature of the police from a given region or country. The corrupt police force may derail the efforts of the non state actor to improve access to justice and security. The police force must have the appropriate mandates and authority to ensure a successive partnership. If police are involved in the increased insecurity and lack of the rule of law, they will hinder the operations of the non state actor. The police need also be aware and obey constitution that protects human rights.
The proper infrastructure including judicial, parliament and executive must be in existence or will establish working institutions and infrastructures. Availability of fund, availability of communication and travelling channels is crucial in the successful execution of a police and non actor’s partnership. This is due to the complexity involved in the improvement to justice and the financial backing it may require.
In some cases, international community intervention may determine success of link between the police force and the non state actors in a given country (Clement, 2004, p. 30). The international community may impose suction, or other restriction to the authority and demand the engagement of a non state actor in the process of peace building, and improvement to access to security and justice. There are other factors that might determine the success of such a partnership depending on the situation on the ground and the level of insecurity and injustices.
Countries affected by conflicts such as Somalia, in peace-building and fragile states such as Nepal, and in young and stable democratic country like Ghana, access to justice to the marginalized and the poor is very difficult. The justice and security provision vary in the different states according the state of the country. The donors support the works of the non state actors in different states. This is due to the huge resource requirements and the challenges associated with the provision of justice and security.
Local society setting and characteristics are important on how the security and justice are provided (UN DESA, 2007, p.71). The local sects, central authority integrity and ability, dominant groups, and other local factors in the social setting will determine how each situation can be handled. The local situation may force the citizens to run away from non state actors or seek their protection and assurance of continued existence. If the local forces are against certain non state actors, the threat of seeking their protection may increase. The state of the stability or how the security and justice are denied in a country will depend on the crises level.
The most partnership between the police and the non state actors is when a country is in crises or war-torn. The establishment by the non-state actors may serve the interest of the oppressed or the interest of the de facto leadership and leaders. The police force in a country experiencing civil war is usually weak, prejudiced, corrupt, incompetent, and inclined to the powerful. Access of justice to the common citizens is very slim, and the process of improving access to justice is more complex and fragile. The non state actors, are not guided by any rules in their actions,...