The police are invariably severely reduced or even cease to be active in times of conflict. Policing as an activity, however, persists, with local groups taking up the role of maintaining order and combating crime. Such local policing is very diverse in its practices and in the nature of its links with the state. Using examples of local policing practices in four sub-Saharan conflicts, this article considers different patterns of harnessing local capacity to provide policing services. The patterns range from authorities utilising existing local policing providers or initiating new local responses, to local non-government organisations [NGOs] seeking to fill policing gaps left by the state, or long-established local provision continuing unchanged. Each response, whether one of cooperation, delegation, neglect or abandonment, is evaluated for its effectiveness, and lessons to be learned from their practices are offered. Together the four case studies suggest new pathways to achieving police effectiveness and reform in challenging conflict environments.

中文翻译：

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冲突地区的警务：当地警务小组教会了我们什么？

在冲突时期，警察总是大幅减少甚至停止活动。然而，作为一项活动的警务仍然存在，当地团体承担着维持秩序和打击犯罪的作用。这种地方警务在实践和与国家联系的性质上非常多样化。本文使用四个撒哈拉以南冲突中当地警务实践的例子，考虑了利用当地能力提供警务服务的不同模式。这些模式的范围从当局利用现有的当地警务提供者或发起新的当地响应，到寻求填补国家留下的警务空白的当地非政府组织 [NGO]，或长期存在的地方规定继续保持不变。每一个回应，无论是合作、委派、忽视还是放弃，评估其有效性，并提供从他们的实践中吸取的经验教训。这四个案例研究共同提出了在充满挑战的冲突环境中实现警察效力和改革的新途径。