Download full text
(external source)
Citation Suggestion
Please use the following Persistent Identifier (PID) to cite this document:
https://doi.org/10.12924/johs2022.16020165
Exports for your reference manager
Comparative Reflections on Community-Oriented Policing (COP) in Post-Conflict Central America
[journal article]
Abstract In this article we discuss the comparative impact and significance of Community-Oriented Policing (COP) in Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua). We emphasize in particular the formal role of COP as a means to re-establish trust between the state and community, demonstrate professio... view more
In this article we discuss the comparative impact and significance of Community-Oriented Policing (COP) in Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua). We emphasize in particular the formal role of COP as a means to re-establish trust between the state and community, demonstrate professionalism and to evidence the democratic accountability of the police to the population. Although these formal goals remain the goal of community oriented policing, we demonstrate in this article that there has been an increased emphasis on more kinetic or militarized forms of policing in recent years. Hard handed, heavily armed and interventionist police policies have spread from El Salvador to Guatemala, and more recently Nicaragua. Moves towards more aggressive policing are explained by governments and police forces as a necessary response to the rising threat of gangs and drug cartels and horrifying levels of homicide statistics. However, as we highlight there is also evidence of these changes reflecting undemocratic shifts within national administrations and the repositioning of people within government and national institutions with links to these countries' earlier military governments.The net effect of these changes we argue is to erode the intentions of COP initiatives, and severely reduce levels of trust and accountability between people and the democratic state.... view less
Keywords
Central America; Guatemala; El Salvador; Nicaragua; police; confidence; violence; criminality
Classification
Peace and Conflict Research, International Conflicts, Security Policy
Free Keywords
accountability; democracy; policing
Document language
English
Publication Year
2020
Page/Pages
p. 165-178
Journal
Journal of Human Security, 16 (2020) 2
Issue topic
Community-Oriented Policing after Conflict-Emerging Evidence
ISSN
1835-3800
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed