Project Description:

The relationship between the armed forces and the police in Guinea Bissau has traditionally been a complicated and often tense one, with the armed forces frequently intervening in law and order matters and the police ceding their rightful space in law enforcement. The most notorious election-incident involved a protest outside the National Electoral Commission during the electoral campaign of 2012, when the police were called to control the crowd, but were subsequently beaten up themselves by representatives of the military called in on behalf of the demonstrators. During the period post-coup period , there have been public threats by the military leadership and a few incidents, including overnight public beatings and inconclusive investigations into serious crimes involving members of the armed forces as suspects or persons of interest. Meanwhile, while police capacities have been upgraded over last few years in terms of training and best practices in community policing in order to be able to take the lead role in the enforcement of law and order, the National Guard, which is one of the 4 policing institutions in Guinea Bissau, has been under criticism from the press and the population for their close alignment with the armed forces (they are seen as a de facto branch of the armed forces, using military techniques with civilians and responding to the military hierarchy).

The JC will include armed forces personnel as reserve, while police are expected to take the lead role of crowd management and human security during the elections. Out of about 4000 police who will be deployed, 2000 are expected to be from the National Guard. It is imperative that these officers in particular are trained in the human rights-based use of force and election security principles to avoid violations people and prevent a feeling of fear among the population.