One Month Since Autonomous Police Implementation... Presence Still Insufficient

Criticism of 'Showcase' Policies
Need for Organizational Stability and Differentiation
Challenges Including Strengthening Communication

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The ‘Autonomous Police System’ marked one month since its implementation on the 2nd, but it has yet to show a clear presence. There are calls to strengthen communication with residents and introduce distinctive public safety policies to realize the original purpose of providing regionally tailored security services.

◇‘First Policies’ Flooded In, But= Since the full implementation of the Autonomous Police System on July 1, each city and provincial autonomous police committee has announced their first public safety policies to establish their presence. However, these policies largely remain within the scope of existing national police initiatives, such as protecting socially vulnerable groups like children and the elderly, and traffic safety measures.

Looking at the first policies of each region, they include comprehensive traffic safety measures for children’s protection zones (Gwangju), protection to eradicate child abuse (Chungbuk), comprehensive safety measures for socially vulnerable groups (Jeonbuk), comprehensive safety measures to prevent crimes against the elderly (Jeonnam), creation of safe school routes for children (Gyeongnam), and making Incheon safe for children (Incheon). Although the regions differ, the content is largely similar.

There were also cases where issues already being implemented by the police were approved. The Gyeonggi South and North Autonomous Police Committees jointly approved a plan for joint inspections of entertainment establishments in the province on the 23rd of last month. However, crackdowns on illegal entertainment establishments to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been continuously carried out jointly by the police and local governments since April this year. Considering the importance of the issue and the early stage of the autonomous police implementation, there are criticisms that these ‘showcase’ policies address widely known problems.

◇Challenges Such as Organizational Stability and Gathering Resident Opinions= Another issue is that personnel authority for the autonomous police has not yet been properly organized. While each regional autonomous police committee holds personnel authority over the autonomous police, confusion has arisen during the early stages of implementation. In the case of the Seoul Autonomous Police Committee, some personnel authority over the autonomous police was temporarily returned to the National Police Agency until September 30. Although this decision was made to ensure smooth personnel operations with the upcoming second-half personnel changes, there is criticism that it contradicts the purpose of the system since the national police are exercising personnel authority over the autonomous police.

More active collection of resident opinions is also required to propose differentiated public safety policies tailored to each region. To this end, each autonomous police committee is accelerating the launch of consultative bodies and advisory groups to strengthen communication. Ensuring the ‘continuity’ of major public safety policies and maintaining ‘political neutrality’ free from influence by political figures such as city and provincial governors are also important challenges.

Professor Lee Woong-hyuk of Konkuk University’s Department of Police Science said, "It is no exaggeration to say that the autonomous police have proceeded amid the indifference of local residents during the first month of implementation," adding, "We need to reflect on the fundamental purpose of implementing the autonomous police system."

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