The Dawn of the 'Jachi Police' Era... A Look at Key Regional Public Safety Policies

Full Implementation Starting This Month
Autonomous Police Committee Steps Up to Establish Presence
Task of Realizing Differentiated 'Customized Security'

At the ceremony commemorating the full implementation of autonomous police held on the 1st at the Government Sejong Convention Center, Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong of the National Police Agency is delivering a greeting.
[Photo by National Police Agency]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] With the full implementation of the autonomous police system after 76 years since the establishment of the Korean police, significant changes are expected in the local security environment. The Autonomous Police Committees (hereinafter referred to as Autonomous Police Committees) in each city and province, which oversee and supervise autonomous police security policies, have begun to assert their presence by announcing their "No. 1 policy." There are many tasks ahead to watch, such as whether the purpose of introducing the autonomous police system?to decentralize the police power that has grown due to the adjustment of investigative authority and to provide regionally tailored security services?is properly fulfilled, whether policies that can actually improve residents' perceived security are implemented, and whether residents' opinions are genuinely reflected in security policies.

Protection of Socially Vulnerable Groups and Regionally Tailored Security... A Look at the 'No. 1 Policy'

The core of the autonomous police system lies in the operation of the Autonomous Police Committees. Each city and province's Autonomous Police Committee, composed of seven members including the chairperson, oversees autonomous police affairs and establishes security policies. Ahead of the full implementation on the 1st of this month, local governments that have completed the formation of the Autonomous Police Committees and conducted pilot operations have already introduced several policies.

The most common area is the protection of "socially vulnerable groups" such as children and the elderly. Looking at representative policies by region, Incheon plans to promote the "Top 10 Tasks of Incheon Autonomous Police for a Child-Safe Incheon." This includes securing pedestrian safety for children in school zones and early detection of children at risk of abuse. Gwangju has selected the "Comprehensive Traffic Safety Measures for Child Protection Zones," Chungbuk focuses on "Protection to Eradicate Child Abuse," Jeonbuk on "Comprehensive Safety Measures for Socially Vulnerable Groups (Children and Adolescents)," Jeonnam on "Comprehensive Safety Measures to Prevent Crime Victimization of the Elderly," and Gyeongnam on "Creating Safe School Routes from Home to School" as their major policies.

Various Measures Including Crime Prevention During Vacation Season and Protection of Intoxicated Persons

Security policies reflecting regional characteristics have also been prepared. Busan selected the establishment of comprehensive security measures in preparation for the opening of beaches and traffic safety measures for the Gijang Osiria Tourism Complex as its No. 1 policies. Jeju will promote comprehensive security activities during the vacation season under the slogan "Safe Jeju 4YOU during Vacation," emphasizing prevention of sexual crimes, traffic accident prevention, enhanced patrols, and securing quarantine measures. Seoul decided to install an additional 240 closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) in Hangang Park following the death of the late Son Jeong-min. Ulsan set "Creating a Faster and More Reliable Traffic Safety Environment" as its task.

Protection of intoxicated drivers and activation of emergency personnel systems for mental illness patients are also among the key policies. Daejeon established a three-stage improvement plan?short-term, mid-term, and long-term?through "Advancement of the Emergency Hospitalization System for Mental Illness Patients." Gyeongbuk is pursuing the "Expansion of Emergency Hospital Beds for High-Risk Mental Illness Patients," and Chungnam prioritizes the "Opening of Emergency Medical Centers for Intoxicated Persons." These are interpreted as efforts to manage high-risk crime groups in advance.

Policies approached from a macro perspective have also emerged. Since the core of autonomous police is the establishment of regionally tailored security policies, platforms to strengthen communication with residents have been prepared. Daegu launched the "Citizen-Centered Network Council," and Chungbuk plans to operate the "Autonomous Police Policy Field Advisory Group."

Doubts About Differentiation of Autonomous Police... Need to Promote 'Tailored Security'

There are also voices of disappointment regarding the security policies of each region. The reason is that it is difficult to feel a distinction from security policies previously promoted under the national police system. In fact, the most frequently promoted protection measures for socially vulnerable groups are quite similar across regions. Rather than containing specific measures reflecting local realities, the policies are generally considered to include only broad outlines. Efforts are needed to prepare more detailed policies through analysis of issues by city, county, and autonomous district.

Since it is still the early stage of the autonomous police implementation, some believe it is necessary to wait and see. Because policies were established without properly collecting residents' opinions, they can only be approached on a broad scale at present. If policies reflecting residents' security demands emerge over time, it will be possible to promote the "tailored security" that is the purpose of introducing the autonomous police system.

Above all, the success or failure of the autonomous police system depends on the "continuity" of security policies. No matter how excellent the policies are, major initiatives can change whenever the governor changes or the composition of the Autonomous Police Committee members is altered. Without ensuring policy stability, drastic changes will inevitably occur every four years when local elections are held. Frequent changes in security policies increase residents' anxiety and make stable security management difficult. This is the primary reason why the "political neutrality" of the autonomous police is required.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.