While governments rely on police officers and other law enforcement agents to maintain order and investigate crimes, the question of who will investigate crimes allegedly committed by the police themselves remains a critical human rights issue around the globe. Despite the growth of civilian oversight programs worldwide, abuses and scandals continue.
Open Society Foundations’ global study Who Polices the Police? reflects the experiences of agencies conducting criminal investigations of state agents in fifteen jurisdictions.
Latin American and Caribbean civil society has advocated for the establishment of specialized mechanisms to more effectively supervise, investigate, and sanction police misconduct. This conversation, with speakers from civil society and a state investigative agency, will examine efforts in Brazil, Jamaica, and Mexico, highlighting civil society‘s role in creating new mechanisms and exploring advances and challenges in working toward greater police accountability.
Speakers
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Hamish Campbell
Speaker
Hamish Campbell is assistant commissioner of the Independent Commission of Investigations in Jamaica.
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Giselle Florentino
Speaker
Giselle Florentino is an executive coordinator of Iniciativa Direito à Memória e Justiça Racial in Brazil.
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Masha Lisitsyna
Speaker
Masha Lisitsyna is senior managing legal officer with the Open Society Justice Initiative.
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Maria Luisa Aguilar Rodriguez
Speaker
Maria Luisa Aguilar Rodriguez is coordinator of the International Area at Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustin Juarez, A.C. in Mexico.
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Manaka Infante
Moderator
Manaka Infante is a senior program officer with Open Society–Latin America and the Caribbean.
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