Let us be judged by our actions. Oversight Mechanisms of Policing in Comparative Outline

The oversight of police conduct is a fundamental governance issue and relates to concerns about democratisation and the building of a civil society. The subject of this paper is to outline the general mechanism of the oversight of police. The establishment of oversight institutions over the police is undoubtedly a key element in democratic policing. Another aim is to explain the development of the idea of resident oversight of the police, which offers some organizational examples that have been developed in some countries around the world. Examples from the UK, India and the USA revealed that oversight mechanisms vary from one country to another in terms of establishment and sustainability. The paper submits the reasons for the independent investigation of police complaints and for restoring confidence in the complaints system and in policing.