Autonomous police system

An autonomous regional police system will go into full operation nationwide next month in what appears to be the biggest overhaul of the nation’s police force since its inauguration in 1945. Under a reform plan implemented in stages as one of President Moon Jae-in’s campaign pledges, the current force, which is under the jurisdiction of the central government, will be divided into a national one, the National Office of Investigation (NOI), and autonomous police forces.

The national police, led by the chief of the National Police Agency, will be in charge of external affairs such as security and intelligence gathering, while the NOI, which was established in January, will carry out general investigations. The autonomous police will be under the control of autonomous committees in the country’s 17 major cities and provinces, taking charge of duties related to public safety, including traffic, school and domestic violence, and drunk driving.

This reorganization is aimed at mitigating the bloated police force in accordance with the transfer of the prosecution’s key investigative powers to police and boosting the efficiency of law enforcement. There are pros and cons regarding the introduction of the system. Public safety will be enhanced as policies specially tailored to local communities will come into being. However, there are concerns that local police units might struggle with increased work burdens as a result of the drastic change in the system.

The ultimate aim of the police overhaul is to make the broader populace feel more comfortable, by revamping community-oriented policing services. That said, it’s essential to stabilize the police as soon as possible. This will raise the need for clarifying matters related to personnel and budget. Given the confusion anticipated immediately after the introduction of the autonomous police system, all agencies concerned should cooperate closely so that the new system can take root as soon as possible. Any prolonged confusion associated with the new police system will do harm to the nation by creating a vacuum in public safety, contrary to its aim.