Policing and Law Enforcement in COIN -- The Thick Blue Line
Abstract
This work on the role of policing in confronting security threats highlights the need to shift resources and emphasis towards policing, law enforcement, and internal security. Law enforcement and internal security are key pillars in a comprehensive national security strategy and are often underemphasized. As the campaign against terrorist networks shifts out of a combat phase, the competition between governments and terrorist groups for the public's support, a key element in irregular warfare, will occur in noncombat zones. It is in these noncombat zones that the police and other internal security elements of governmental power will be critical in negating terrorist network access to populations. The military's role in these operational environments will be significantly reduced, but select support will be required and this effort will fall heavily on the Special Operations Forces. This monograph explores the complexity and challenges a government faces in organizing and training multiple levels of a nation's various police institutions. Through a thorough and excellent analysis, the author highlights the differences of policing in a counterinsurgency environment versus traditional, peaceful societies. He further amplifies his discussion of counterinsurgency policing through a series of vignettes. The true danger of failure in the current campaign is that a successful irregular warfare campaign in one region may spur additional challenges across the globe, and the author argues persuasively that the police are the "thick blue line" in this type of campaign.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA495324
Entities
People
- Joseph D. Celeski
Organizations
- Joint Special Operations University