Summary
In the 1990s, the U.S. supported reform of foreign police forces in order to support the expansion of democracy, and to ensure a safe environment abroad for market economies. This research report examines the lessons that observers and participants have learned about the process of changing police organizations Reforms considered most important are: creation of a responsive public-service orientation, adherence to the rule of law, protection of human rights, and transparency with respect to the activities of the police agency and the people within it. Observations about the process of democratic police reform were deemed to be "lessons" if they were generally agreed upon, were based on real-world experience, and pertained to the goal of democratic development. The lessons are organized as: (1) generic reform in any police organization; (2) police reform abroad; (3) police reform in peacekeeping; and (4) managing police reform abroad. The report contains 87 lessons and corollaries implied by the lessons.