Police Reform in Georgia
Police Reform in Georgia

Author(s): Alexander Kupatadze
Subject(s): Criminal Law, Civil Law, Public Administration, Corruption - Transparency - Anti-Corruption
Published by: CSS - Center for Social Sciences
Summary/Abstract: In this paper I do not intend to make the argument that police serve the interests of the ‘privileged class.’ Nor do I aim to downplay the achievements in reforming a notoriously corrupt police force. Rather I demonstrate that an important angle of police reform, making it accountable, transparent and de-politicised, remains unachieved and should not be ignored in academic writings and in the reports of international organisations such as the World Bank. The lack of critical attention to the shortcomings of police reform fits the trend of overlooking significant shortcomings in Georgian democracy and human rights by some international organisations and foreign states. This trend is damaging to the legitimacy of these same institutions/countries. // This paper analyses the trajectory of post-revolutionary transition in the criminal justice system and the way in which the rule of law has been undermined for the sake of building a strong state. I discuss the achievements and shortcomings of Georgian police reform and argue that the reforms have mainly targeted ‘low policing’ in order to meet the key concerns of the citizenry while ‘high policing’ remained above the law and a crucial safeguard for the ruling regime. Importantly there are many questions whether the larger goals of policing understood broadly such as normative compliance, cultural change and citizen acceptance of police authority are accomplished and whether the policies in place are appropriate for the achievement of these goals.

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