Peace depends on people-centred policies, a global summit says

The two-day summit brought together ministers, police chiefs and senior representatives of police organizations to discuss how UN police forces and national police forces can mutually strengthen each other in addressing current and emerging global security challenges.

“The goal of this summit is to ensure that our Organization is aligned and ready to support nearly 4,500 people. UN Police personnel in nearly 80 countries serving across our peace operations help shape how UN policing continues to evolve to meet today’s increasingly complex security environment,” said UN Peace Operations chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

“Ultimately, the focus is on ensuring that we continue to invest in peace by investing in effective policing, strong partnerships, and the women and men who serve on the front lines every day,” he said.

Impact of budget cuts

Lacroix said recent budget cuts due to some member states not paying full assessed contributions “have had a real impact on all the things that matter most”.

“The approved budget remains in place, but without the necessary cash funds, it cannot be fully implemented,” he said. “We effectively had to reduce spending by about 25 percent, and this affected almost every aspect of our work.”

Less pay means fewer patrols in high-risk areas, longer response times to developing crises, and fewer opportunities to train and support local police so they can assume full responsibility when their mission finally ends.

Tackling cybercrime to sexual violence

Despite financial challenges, policing remains the cornerstone of sustainable peace, says UN Police Advisor Faisal Syahkar.

In contrast to military peacekeeping forces, UN police work directly with communities to strengthen national police services, rebuild community trust and strengthen criminal justice institutions after conflict, addressing challenges ranging from organized crime and cybercrime to sexual and gender-based violence.

The results are visible across peace missions:

• In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN police support the protection of civilians through integrated patrols, turning emergency calls into operational interventions and supporting the national police in high-risk areas
• In the Central African Republic, UN police have helped national authorities prepare for safe and secure elections
• In Abyei, community-oriented policies, mediation and dialogue have helped reduce tensions between communities and encouraged women’s participation in local security arrangements.

Apart from silenced weapons

Shahkar said this year’s summit would focus on the future of UN policing, including innovation and new technologies, stronger partnerships and more effective responses to transnational threats.

“For communities affected by conflict, peace is not just the silence of weapons. It is also the ability to return home, send children to school, report violence, access justice, and trust the institutions that are supposed to protect them,” he said.

“At the heart of this summit is a simple message: safety is an integral part of peace.”

Straight from the Hudson River in New York

Side events run parallel to the summit, covering current issues facing societies around the world.

This action, sponsored by INTERPOL and UN agencies, focuses on the protection of cultural heritage in peace operations.

Watch the live broadcast aboard the Italian ship in Hudson River Park, New York, starting at 15:00 local time on UN Web TV:

Demands for UN policing

Deployed for the first time in the UN Operation in Congo (ONUC) in 1960, UN Police personnel at that time assisted peacekeeping forces at the request of the newly independent Republic of the Congo, a former Belgian colony, after Belgium sent troops without government approval to quell post-independence chaos.

Since 1948, there have been 321 deaths of UN Police personnel.

Growing demands over decades have led to the deployment of numerous UN peacekeeping missions in hot spots around the world, from Cambodia to El Salvador, with demand peaking in 2010, with 14,669 police deployed.

Learn more about the history of the UN Police Here.

How can you become a UN Police officer?

Watch below: