the process of security sector reform - ISAC Fund

George Katsirdakis SECURITY SECTOR REFORM FROM A NATO VIEWPOINT
George Katsirdakis SECURITY SECTOR REFORM FROM A NATO VIEWPOINT
in most countries the responsibility of appropriate authorities and are activated
on the basis of relevant plans in the context of Civil Emergency Planning.
Police
The Police is in most cases a civilian force of internal law and order but its role,
missions and capabilities differ substantially from one country to the other. Its
roles may range from the minimalist role of regulating traffic, policing urban
areas and investigating criminal activities of routine nature and of limited scale,
to the maximalist role in some countries where the police may have, in addition
to these roles, full responsibility for internal security.
To the degree that the police is involved in the investigation of major criminal
or terrorist activity or in restoring order in the course of or after such major
scale activities, the police may request assistance from the Armed Forces in the
form of intelligence support or equipment support or support by special experts
serving in the Armed Forces.
Paramilitary Forces
Such forces do not exist in most countries because they are not considered
necessary. Where they exist, however, they may have roles of internal security,
territorial defence, or other roles as armed contingents.
Gendarmerie
These forces, which exist in some countries, are forces that are of mixed character
– both police and armed forces character. Although they have a role similar to the
traditional Police, they are well equipped, armed and trained to deal with much
more complicated cases, they can act as forces of internal security and they can
deal with organised crime, terrorism, trafficking, and, in case of emergency,
their units, which may have significant fire power and capabilities, may operate
alongside military forces as lighter formations. In countries where such forces
exist, they are usually included in the operational plans for the defence of the
country. In cases where a country has both Police and Gendarmerie forces the
role of policing and of investigation of criminal activity tends to be divided
between them with the understanding that the Police is responsible for urban
areas while the Gendarmerie has primacy in rural areas.
Intelligence Services
These are extremely important services in all countries in the field of security.
They can be both military intelligence and civilian intelligence services. The
role of both intelligence and counter-intelligence in a democratic society is
to gather and analyse information related to the internal security of the state.
Their agents may operate both in country and abroad as the case may require.
The intelligence they gather could be of vital importance in the fight against
terrorism and criminal activity and in ensuring the security of the country from
the hostile activity of foreign agents and services.
An important point in a democratic society is to properly control the activity
of the intelligence services to ensure that the secrecy that is necessary for their
activity and the wide range of their operations do not lead them to illegal activity
and misuse of their power which could then be harmful for the interests of the
state.
Border Guards
These are specialised forces entrusted with the control and security of the
international borders of the state. In some countries, very rarely in western countries,
the border guards are part of the Armed Forces. In most western countries
they are civilian forces of law and order. In some other countries they are special
armed services forming a category of their own.
Their role is very important in areas such as passport control, guarding border
checkpoints, patrolling the border area, ensuring that borders are secure from
illegal trafficking, smuggling, illegal immigrant border crossings and terrorist
infiltrations.
Coast Guards
Although their mission, structure and functions differ substantially from one
country to the other, in most countries where they exist as separate services,
distinct from the border guards, they perform similar functions with the border
guards but in relation to the “blue” borders (sea, lake, river borders) as opposed
to the “green” border which is the responsibility of the border guards.
The Coast Guard, in most cases is a separate service while in some cases it is
part of the Navy.
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