In May 1999 a mid term evaluation was carried out on the
restructuring project of the Mozambican police. This project is part of a
broader program regarding good governance in Mozambique coordinated by UNDP and
has been described in project document MOZ/95/015/F//01/31. It consists of four
separate parts: formation, restructuring, equipment and infrastructure of the
police. Its general objective is to enhance the capacity of the Mozambican
police force in preventing and suppressing crime and next to that to guarantee
an internal culture oriented to the rule of law and a democratic multiparty
system. Seven specific objectives were stated in the project documentation.
Objectives
The first regards the start up of the projects. It has not
been evaluated.
- The second objective regards the assistance in the putting in place of a
new police structure. This objective has been reached to a great extend. A
new structure has been designed and amended and has been approved by the
Mozambique government. It now has to be presented to Parliament.
- The third objective refers to the retraining of the current police force
and the training of new recruits. This objective has been partially
achieved: the retraining is on schedule, the training of new recruits has
been designed but awaits implementation.
- The fourth objective regards a program for the internal operation of the
Training Centre. The objective has been achieved.
- The fifth objective was to supply indispensable equipment for the Training
Centre and for students. This objective has been achieved too.
- The sixth objective regards a proposal for the indispensable equipment of
the PRM. The proposal has been provided.
- The last objective concerns the provision for the territorial
infrastructure necessary for PRM operations, once project funding levels are
deemed to be sufficient. This objective has been modestly achieved due to
limited project funds.
- Recommendations
The central recommendation is to continue the project and to
design a follow up project. The evaluation formulated a number of conditions for
success of a follow up program. They regard the ongoing explicit political
support for the program, a substantial improvement of the judicial system and
the further enhancement of the capacity for change in the Mozambican police
force. They also regard the capacity to sustain the changes realised within the
police and the development and implementation of a project to further increase
the integrity of the police.
More detailed recommendations were made both for short-term
adaptations in the running program and for the design and development of a
follow up program.
3.1. Short term adaptation regard:
Further development of field training support
- intensify support for the station commanders and his staff of the retrained
units;
- use Guardia Civil senior officers to inform superior officers regarding the
contents of the training;
- continue the facilitating role of the Guardia Civil;
- develop a general model for the active support of retrained units for the
follow up program;
Adaptations to the curriculum of the Training Center
- formulate clearer goals for training;
- increase the effectiveness of the parts of the program regarding violence
against women and children and human rights violations;
- develop a plan to further strengthen the integrity of the PRM
infrastructure;
- be aware of problems regarding the use of material in new or rehabilitated
infrastructure.
3.2. Recommendations for the design and development of a
follow up program are:
- Increase the capacity for project management and design;
- Continue the retraining program and implement the field training support
programme;
- Use the chance for community participation and develop and implement a
Mozambican model to that extend;
- Support NGOs in learning from past experiences in working with the police in
matters of human rights and violence against women and children;
- Begin the training of new recruits;
- Increase the capacity for senior management development;
- Implement the new structure and the plan to strengthen integrity;
- Carry out a feasibility study for the enforcement of environmental laws.