Pathways to Understanding Community-Oriented Policing in Post-Conflict Societies

Abstract

This paper aims to provide a brief outline of an ongoing research project that is funded by the EU for a period of 5 years. The project titled ‘Community-Based Policing and Post-Conflict Police Reform’ will address different aspects of Community-Oriented policing and police reform in post-conflict societies. Community-based policing holds promise but also entails challenges. A clear ambition for the project is to identify both differences and commonalities in community-oriented policing in post-conflict societies. Human security will form an important backdrop for understanding key issues like post-conflict violence, peacebuilding SSR and COP. In this paper we point to some dilemmas and perspectives regarding SSR, COP, post-conflict and human security. In addition the paper provides an overview of the role of the Policing Experts Network as project advisors and evaluators for mapped community-oriented policing training and education material.