In many countries the global and regional proliferation of small arms means that police and other law enforcers are under extreme pressure to counter rising levels of violent gun crime and are expected to confront armed offenders. In the process, ill-trained and ill-disciplined officers with guns sometimes kill, maim, and mistreat innocent people whom they are supposed to protect. Increasingly, police, customs and other law enforcement officers are also called upon to detect illicit gun traffickers, mark firearms, process firearms licenses, collect illicit firearms and persuade communities to report illegal firearms. Such efforts are often thwarted by corrupt police practices and a lack of trust from communities.
IANSA and IPIS have published a briefing paper and fact sheet on “International standards to prevent police gun violence.” This publication focuses on essential common principles and procedures which the United Nations has recommended to ensure that all law enforcement agencies will restrict their use of force to a minimum, keep their firearms under strict control, and prevent officers from committing acts of gun violence or other abuse. The UN standards draw on international human rights law and general principles on the rule of law and provide guidance to differentiate between a lawful use of force and firearms, as opposed to acts of criminal violence by the police.
Photo: IANSA workshop in Goma, DRC, November 2022
This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the Belgian Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD). The contents of this document can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the Belgian Development Cooperation.
