For most of Haiti's 193-year history as an independent nation, its security forces have served as an instrument of repression. The creation of a professional, civilian police force in the form of the Haitian National Police offers the hope of breaking this cycle of repression and impunity. The police reform process sought to create a force that would function within the parameters of a democratic system to fight crime, protect citizens, and preserve democratic order. The international community devoted millions of dollars fashioning a new police force from scratch, and police reform arguably has proceeded faster than any other institution building process in Haiti.
Nonetheless, as documented in this report, police reform has run into serious problems. While not insurmountable, police abuses and the poor functioning of the force, attributable to weak leadership at the departmental director level and below, inexperience, and logistical deficiencies, threaten the credibility of the HNP. The human rights violations committed by the new force are the most alarming development, indicating a dangerous tendency by some members of the HNP to adopt the repressive practices of past security forces. HNP authorities have demonstrated the desire to prevent and punish abuses and are making important progress in this area. The Haitian government must ensure that police accountability is strengthened, particularly by consistently applying internal disciplinary measures, systematically providing information to the public about incidents, and sending cases to the courts for criminal investigation. The government also should codify these practices in police law and regulations, thereby seeking to assure continued good practices through future leadership changes.
One of the greatest challenges to ending impunity and establishing the rule of law in Haiti is the judicial system's persistent weakness. Judicial action against police abuse remains extremely limited. The Haitian government andJustice Ministry need to make a special effort to assure that the competent judicial authorities take appropriate action against police abuse. Failure to do so may prove a serious impediment to police accountability.
The international community has provided substantial assistance for police reform in Haiti. It also has imposed a timeframe, dictated by the need to withdraw troops, that resulted in the deployment of a force that lacked adequate training. Now eighteen months old, the HNP only gradually is acquiring experience, while confronting pressing, unmet needs for leadership development and appalling infrastructure and equipment shortages. The international community can and should continue to play a role in helping the Haitian government fill these gaps. Studies of police reform in many countries conclude that these reform processes are long, and that one of the gravest dangers to reform efforts may be the premature withdrawal of international support.
In December 1996, the U.N. extended UNSMIH's mandate until mid-1997 due to concerns that the HNP required continued assistance with institutional development and had responded poorly to several threats against the country's security in August 1996. The human rights concerns documented in this report demonstrate that the HNP will require international support until it has adopted professional policing practices and is capable of meeting challenges to democracy and the rule of law in Haiti.
Haiti's repressive history created widespread mistrust of security forces and profound skepticism about the possibility of creating a professional police force. Ending police abuse and establishing accountability, as well improving understanding of the role of the police in a democracy, are vital steps toward overcoming this legacy. Police authorities so far have shown a desire to end impunity and work with the population to tackle these challenges. If they succeed, they will establish a solid foundation for human rights and the rule of law in Haiti.