Comprehensive Measures Missing Specific Plans for On-Site Police Recruitment... Legislative Amendment Challenges Also Included

Consider Further Expanding Workforce
"To Strengthen Field Operations, Incentives Must Be Clearly Provided"
Streamlining Stalking Emergency Measures Application and Criminal Punishment for Violators
Related Law Amendments Needed in National Assembly

On the 1st, new police officers are undergoing physical force response training at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The 'Comprehensive Measures to Strengthen Police Field Response Capability' announced by the National Police Agency on the 30th includes various plans such as protecting crime victims, enhancing police officer education and training, and improving systems for proactive law enforcement. However, there are still some shortcomings and areas that fall short. Notably, specific measures to expand personnel, which frontline police officers most urgently demand, were omitted, and many parts of the plan require legislative amendments in the National Assembly.

First, the expansion of field personnel at police substations and precincts, which is central to strengthening field response capability, was left as a matter for further review. While the National Police Agency recognizes the necessity of reallocating and expanding field-centered personnel such as investigators and community police officers, it did not include concrete plans on how to proceed in this measure. Proposals such as consolidating small local police stations, operating customized community police work systems, and concentrating available police forces during times of high crime and reports were suggested as options. However, concerns about backlash or side effects mean that these will be reviewed over a longer period.

Additionally, voices calling for improvements in personnel management and treatment of frontline police officers have emerged. It is argued that an environment should be created where officers who directly respond to incidents and have the most contact with the public can work freely. Professor Lee Woong-hyuk of Konkuk University’s Department of Police Science stated, "For police substations and precincts, which can be considered the backbone of the police, to be strong, motivation is needed so that the best employees can be assigned to the field," adding, "More authority should be given to the field, and clear incentives in promotion and treatment should be provided."

The comprehensive measures also include many parts that require legislative amendments in the National Assembly. A representative example is the proposal to change the current penalty of fines for non-compliance with emergency protective measures to criminal punishment to effectively block stalking offenders' access, which requires an amendment to the Stalking Punishment Act.

Furthermore, the police have suggested abolishing the prosecutor’s review process in approving emergency protective measures for faster action, but this also appears to require further discussion. While procedural simplification for rapid approval is inevitable, since there is no system for the police to directly request judges except for summary trials for minor offenses and juvenile cases, procedural fairness issues are expected to arise. Regarding this, a police official said, "We expect various opposing opinions during the National Assembly discussions," but emphasized, "From the perspective of how useful and necessary it is to protect the public on the ground, a law that empowers the field is definitely needed."

The amendment to the 'Police Officer Duty Execution Act,' which frontline officers urgently demand, is still pending in the National Assembly. The amendment includes provisions to reduce or exempt criminal liability if there is no intentional or gross negligence in damages caused during the lawful execution of police duties. The relevant committee, the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, passed it at the end of last month, but it is currently pending in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. A police official said, "The Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s expert office has already prepared alternatives," adding, "Since the full committee meeting is scheduled for January next year, we hope the amendment to the Police Officer Duty Execution Act will pass."

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised that victim protection duties may weaken as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety did not accept the request to establish a formal position for the Victim Protection Officer at the National Police Agency, which had been operated as a non-staff position. In this regard, a police official explained, "There is a recent trend to minimize or eliminate non-staff operations," but added, "We will faithfully maintain the proportion of victim protection duties at the National Police Agency without any reduction and consider ways to formalize the position."

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