Policía Nacional Bolivariana
Encyclopedia
Policía Nacional Bolivariana (Bolivarian National Police, PNB) is Venezuela's national police force, created in 2009. Law enforcement in Venezuela
has historically been highly fragmented, and the creation of a National Police was one of the recommendations of a 2006 National Commission on Police Reform
(CONAREPOL). As per the CONAREPOL recommendations, the PNB works with local communal councils
and is intended to respect human rights in a way Venezuelan police often have not. At the time the force was set up, the wage rate for officers in the new force was three times higher than that in existing forces.
Initially active in parts of Caracas
, the first six months of operations saw falls of around 60% in rates of murder and robbery in the areas the PNB was active. As of July 2010, the PNB had around 2,400 officers, with a further 1,400 in training.
In general, the Commission found, "bureaucracy is weakly developed: three-quarters of state and municipal forces do not have a manual for procedures and two-thirds lack an organizational manual".
In November 2008 a Commission for the Police System (Comsipol) was created to implement CONAREPOL's recommendations. These included the creation of a National Police, which was done in 2009. Other recommendations were that the police should be specifically trained in human rights
, and have a greater emphasis on crime prevention. The Experimental Security University
was set up to provide such training.
Law enforcement in Venezuela
Law enforcement in Venezuela is highly fragmented, being split across multiple police agencies of various types. The National Guard, with around 33,000 officers, is attached to the Ministry of Defence. Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas, with around 8,000 officers, is...
has historically been highly fragmented, and the creation of a National Police was one of the recommendations of a 2006 National Commission on Police Reform
National Commission on Police Reform
The National Commission on Police Reform was a 2006 Venezuelan national commission which, in consultation with police and local communities, examined law enforcement in Venezuela and proposed reforms...
(CONAREPOL). As per the CONAREPOL recommendations, the PNB works with local communal councils
Venezuelan Communal Councils
In April 2006 the Venezuelan government passed The Law of Communal Councils which empowers local citizens to form neighbourhood-based elected councils that initiate and oversee local policies and projects towards community development...
and is intended to respect human rights in a way Venezuelan police often have not. At the time the force was set up, the wage rate for officers in the new force was three times higher than that in existing forces.
Initially active in parts of Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, the first six months of operations saw falls of around 60% in rates of murder and robbery in the areas the PNB was active. As of July 2010, the PNB had around 2,400 officers, with a further 1,400 in training.
Background
In 2006 a National Commission on Police Reform (CONAREPOL, from the Spanish name) conducted studies aimed at reforming the police, in consultation with police and local communities. It found that
"Careful study of the different police agencies makes it evident that many do not have adequate infrastructure, and they are lacking in basic services or the spaces that are necessary for police activities (e.g., holding cells). In other cases, they do not even have their own building. Higher level technological resources (phones, fax, internet connection, computers, software) are relatively rare or, if present, are found only at central headquarters. Lack of, or deficiencies in, infrastructure are most marked for the municipal police.… [T]he majority of [all] police agencies are unable to assign a firearm to each officer on duty; neither are there sufficient handcuffs or bullet-proof vests. Some agencies have only one firearm for the whole force."
In general, the Commission found, "bureaucracy is weakly developed: three-quarters of state and municipal forces do not have a manual for procedures and two-thirds lack an organizational manual".
In November 2008 a Commission for the Police System (Comsipol) was created to implement CONAREPOL's recommendations. These included the creation of a National Police, which was done in 2009. Other recommendations were that the police should be specifically trained in human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, and have a greater emphasis on crime prevention. The Experimental Security University
Experimental Security University
The Experimental Security University is a state university in Venezuela founded in 2009. It specialises in providing training for Venezuelan police and security forces, in particular the new Policía Nacional Bolivariana...
was set up to provide such training.
Sources
- Birkbeck, Christopher (2009), "Venezuela: the shifting organizational framework for the police", Police Practice and Research, Volume 10, Issue 4 August 2009 , pages 295 - 304