Chile police reform will need long-term culture shift

Subject

Modernisation of the police force.

Significance

After appointing a new police chief, President Sebastian Pinera, who took office on March 11, aims to implement the most far-reaching modernisation of the country’s uniformed police force since the restoration of democracy in 1990. This follows the discovery of a major internal fraud and accusations of the planting of false evidence.

Impacts

• Future opinion polls will indicate the extent to which public trust in police has been undermined by recent scandals.
• Police legitimacy will matter if, as expected, there are significant street demonstrations against the new centre-right government.
• Better intelligence, distinguishing between indigenous activism and for-profit crime, would help to counter violence in southern Chile.