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2007 Assessment

Vanuatu: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Vanuatu: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Law Enforcement
Indicators		Score
80	Is the law enforcement agency (i.e. the police) effective?	50
81	Can law enforcement officials be held accountable for their actions?	88

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Is the law enforcement agency (i.e. the police) effective?

80a: In practice, appointments to the law enforcement agency (or agencies) are made according to professional criteria.

Score:

100

Comments: "Well, according to the public, I don't think so, due to the population growth and the whole government approach. Sometimes with politics, they will drive them way in the system."

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

80b: In practice, the law enforcement agency (or agencies) has a budget sufficient to carry out its mandate.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: The agency (or agencies) has a budget sufficient to fulfill its basic mandate. <p>50 Score Criteria: The agency (or agencies) has limited budget, generally considered somewhat insufficient to fulfill its basic mandate. <p>0 Score Criteria: The agency (or agencies) has no budget or an obviously insufficient budget that hinders the agency\'s ability to fulfill its mandate.$

Comments: "This is the main problem with the police force. Sometimes we find it very very hard to combat crime when we lack sufficient funds. The government has to put more inputs to address the security of the nation." - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

Peer Review Comments: Sometimes the police have been unable to respond to emergencies because they do not have fuel for their cars.

80c: In practice, the law enforcement agency is protected from political interference.

Score:

100

Comments: "For the Vanuatu Police Force most officers feared the politicians when threatened by them. According to law, no one is above the law and, as law-enforcement officers, we should not be like that." - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

Can law enforcement officials be held accountable for their actions?

81a: In law, there is an independent mechanism for citizens to complain about police action.

Score:

YES

Comments: "Internal Investigation Office (IIO). It is here that citizens are permitted to submit their complaints fro investigation." - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

Peer Review Comments: Complaints can also be lodged with the Ombudsman see for example:

Republic of Vanuatu Office of the Ombudsman. (2003). Public Report on Police Brutality During Operations on Central Pentecost 1259/2003/21 13 August 2003. Port Vila, Vanuatu Office of the Ombudsman.

81b: In practice, the independent law enforcement complaint reporting mechanism responds to citizen's complaints within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments: "This is the main problem with the police force as I said. But 80% of the people have benefitted from it." - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

Peer Review Comments: Women can be very reluctant to report complaints against the police because of the fear of reprisals.

81c: In law, there is an agency/entity to investigate and prosecute corruption committed by law enforcement officials.

Score:

YES

Comments: The Vanuatu police Force, Ombudsman, Commision of Enquiry appointed by the government, (IIO) LEA's within the government, Audit etc. - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

81d: In practice, when necessary, the agency/entity independently initiates investigations into allegations of corruption by law enforcement officials.

Score:

100

Comments: If against the state, it will be the Commission of Enquiry. If it is against the police, it will be investigated by internal investigation. Also the police can investigate any criminal act." -Sergeant Andrew Kalman

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

Peer Review Comments: This varies according to the case and whether or not a complaint has been lodged.

81e: In law, law enforcement officials are not immune from criminal proceedings.

Score:

YES

Comments: "Not at all unless diplomatic status is issued for foreigners. For the citizens, 100% is given." -Sergeant Andrew Kalman

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

81f: In practice, law enforcement officials are not immune from criminal proceedings.

Score:

100

Comments: There are cases of police abuse where some officials have gone unpunished.

References: Transnational Crime Unit - Sergeant Andrew Kalman

Peer Review Comments: There have many cases of police brutality and criminal human rights violations inside prisons where law enforcement officials have gone unpunished.