Professionalizing the Next Generation of Law Enforcement in CAR

Decades of violence, regional instability, and successive coups in the Central African Republic (CAR) led to a weak central government and the collapse of CAR’s criminal justice institutions. In 2013, armed rebels seized the capital, Bangui, leading to a series of attacks and counter attacks against civilians that ushered a humanitarian crisis. A new president elected in 2016 declared security, justice, and economic development as top priorities. But violence continued, and the central government struggled to provide effective security. CAR’s law enforcement had been historically under-resourced and received minimal institutional development. Most CAR law enforcement officers had not received basic training or instruction in core functions, such as human resources, logistical support, and budgeting. Strategic Capacity Group’s Academies of Excellence Program, Professionalizing the Next Generation of Law Enforcement in CAR, was designed to support CAR’s civilian security forces, train rank-and-file officers, supervisors, and senior executives, mentor trainees to reinforce acquired skills, establish a continuous training program, and measure the results of the training.

Strategic Capacity Group implemented a five-year project (2018-2022) for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) to train the Central African Republic’s National Police and National Gendarmerie to deliver their missions. Despite several challenges, including a pause in programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, a volatile security situation, increased security force deployments, and high-level rotations of project counterparts, SCG achieved significant results:  

• 1,874 officers, supervisors, and executives from the National Police and National Gendarmerie trained.

• 30 instructors trained, mentored, and mobilized to sustain the program.

• Six specialized training curricula developed and delivered to address the specific needs of CAR’s security force leaderships.

• Seven standard operating procedures (SOPs) developed, two of which were adopted by the Ministry of Interior and Security, two adopted by the Ministry of Defense, and one adopted by the National Gendarmerie.  

• 100 CAR officers trained to serve in the pilot mentorship program.

• Over 460 female CAR ISF officers trained, representing approximately 27 percent of training participants. The CAR policewomen network was approved as a professional association, enabling it to support police service modernization and promote the protection of female officers.

Through comprehensive training initiatives, the project empowered a considerable number of officers, supervisors, and executives, bolstering their abilities to effectively address the complexities of insecurity across the country. Moreover, the development of specialized training curricula and SOPs contributed to the standardization of law enforcement practices and fostered cohesion among agencies. The launch of the pilot mentorship program, complemented by regular mentoring and advising initiatives, further exemplified the commitment of CAR law enforcement to the professional growth of its personnel.  

Strategic Capacity Group (SCG) is a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the ability of the United States and its partners to build strategic security sector capacity both at home and abroad.

SCG’s work in CAR is part of its Academies of Excellence Program, which is designed to modernize and reform law enforcement academies. The CAR program works with government ministries, law enforcement institutions, academy leaders, and communities to assess training needs, revise learning outcomes, design new curricula, and deliver three levels of in-service training, at the rank-and-file, first-line supervisor, and executive commander levels.

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