Police performance in the relations between political authorities and police, in a context of growing citizen insecurity. The cases of Chile and Colombia

• In Event: POLWG Panel 27. Policing, politics and Human Rights in national and international contexts

Abstract

In contexts characterized by citizen insecurity, police performance becomes a subject of political debate and agenda-setting, placing pressure on governments to implement reforms. This article presents a comparative analysis of the transformations undertaken within the Colombian National Police and the Carabineros of Chile to enhance police oversight and strategic orientation aimed at reducing crime and maintaining public order. The comparison is grounded in the increasing levels of citizen insecurity in both countries and the fact that both police forces exhibit similar approval ratings while maintaining comparable functions and organizational structures. To this end, the study employs the framework of gradual institutional change proposed by Mahoney and Thelen (2009), arguing that such change results from the interaction between the political context, the characteristics of the institution undergoing reform, and the key actors

Authors

• Hugo Frühling, Facultad de Gobierno, Santiago, Chile

• Antonio Frey, Universidad Del Desarrollo, Facultad de Gobierno