Civilian Oversight of Internal Security Agencies in Turkey
	Civilian oversight is a the core of the reform of the internal security sector in Turkey as negotiations with the EU unfold. Data protection, independent complaint mechanisms against police abuse, civilian led performance target setting and control for all policing agencies, and strengthening of internal audit are some of the central issues of a future reform agenda. Mandated by UNDP within a EU-financed project, Coginta organized a series of workshops in 2009 and 2010 with the Ministry of Interior to produce a produced a set of recommendations for the restructuring of the civilian oversight of the internal security sector.
	Restructuring of Police Forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina On the road to Europe, the police reform has been a priority in the negotiations between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dominique Wisler was a member of a consortium team led by ICMPD (Vienna) that conducted an administrative, financial and organizational assessment of the police forces and border guards in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the framework of Feasibility Studies of the EU. He was the lead drafter of the final report and published several articles on the reform. The final report is available in English and Bosnian language.

Civilian Oversight of Policing Agencies

The governance of policing institutions is a matter of fair and efficient balancing of powers 1) between the line ministry and the police and 2) between the police and lateral powers (parliament, judiciary, independent organs, etc.). The police needs to be accountable to the line ministry through a number of mechanisms (regulation, planning, controling and management of senior officers). More and more, civilian oversight of policing involves lateral independent controlling organs on sensitive issues, concertation between ministries as well as with local authorities, and a formal recognition of the soft power of local communities, civil society and mass media. The permanent social and legal redefinition of civilian oversight requires that police monitors change and adapt its organization constantly.

See short presentation

Restructuring of Police

Restructuring police forces in post-conflict situations is a process of assessment, conceptualization and implementation requiring a national dialogue to reach a consensus over policing, the design of affordable and sustainable solutions, the capitalization on existing social systems, and an understanding of best practices and standards with the overal goal to enhance effectivness and accountability of security agencies. We support strategic planning in a way that is anchored in political institutions, the legal system and culture, and financially sustainable.

"Security sector reform describes a process of assessment, review and
implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation led by national authorities that has as its goal the enhancement of effective and accountable security for the State and its peoples without discrimination and with full respect for human rights and the
rule of law. As the Security Council noted, security sector reform "should be a nationally owned process that is rooted in the particular needs and conditions of the country in question" (S/PRST/2007/3)."

Secure Peace and Development. Report of the Secretary General of the UN, 2008, summary

Modernization of Policing

Coginta is particularly interested in developing affordable solutions of modernization of criminal investigation and local policing as post-conflict police are highly constrained by budget, poor infrastructure and often low skills of human resources. We support the development of affordable policing solution that is often neglected by the industry.

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