Professionalizing the Next Generation of Law Enforcement in CAR

Decades of violence, regional instability, and successive coups in the Central African Republic (CAR) have led to a weak central government and the collapse of CAR’s criminal justice institutions. In 2013, armed rebels seized the capital, Bangui, leading to a series of attacks and counter-attacks against civilians that ushered a humanitarian crisis. A new president, elected in 2016, Faustin Archange Touadéra, declared security, justice, and economic development his top priorities. But violence continues, and the central government has struggled to provide effective security. CAR’s law enforcement has been historically under-resourced and received minimal institutional development. The large majority of CAR law enforcement officers have not received basic training or instruction in core functions, such as human resources, logistical support, and budgeting.

With support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Strategic Capacity Group (SCG) is building the capacity of CAR’s law enforcement institutions by training and mentoring the National Police, Gendarmerie, and Judicial, Mining, and Bangui Municipal Police. SCG’s team of senior police trainers provide substantive, administrative, and technical support and guidance to train more than 1,300 law enforcement officers from across CAR’s law enforcement agencies, mentor newly trained officers, and promote adherence to law enforcement practices.

Strategic Capacity Group (SCG) is a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the ability of the United States and its partners to build strategic security sector capacity both at home and abroad.

SCG’s work in CAR is part of its Academies of Excellence Program, which is designed to modernize and reform law enforcement academies. The CAR program works with government ministries, law enforcement institutions, academy leaders, and communities to assess training needs, revise learning outcomes, design new curricula, and deliver three levels of in-service training, at the rank-and-file, first-line supervisor, and executive commander levels.

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