FOSTERING THE SPIRIT OF TRUST AND COLLABORATION AMONG POLICE AND THE PUBLIC

Historically police and civilians had hostile relations in Ethiopia. This is especially the case when it comes to police relations with youth. Following the Ethiopian Students' Movement of the 1960s, tensions increased, especially after the Imperial Guard assassinated Tilahun Gizaw, the then president of the University College of Addis Ababa's student union.

Preceding the 1974 Ethiopian Revolution, the student movement faced a persistent and heightened police onslaught. Using deadly police force to suppress resistance has been a tactic adopted by successive political regimes. In Ethiopia, the population still views police as the face of cruelty and they are closely associated with political regimes. This explains why over time, public confidence in the police has steadily declined. (Medareshaw & Associates, 2023)[1]

 With funding from the French Development Agency, the Ethiopian Initiative for Human Rights (EIHR), a local civil society organization, is presently working with the Civil Society Innovation Fund (CSIF) to promote and defend human rights in Lega Tafo and adjacent Shaggar Sub Cities on the outskirts of Addis Ababa.

 Furgassa is a veteran police officer who resides in Lega Tafo. He is a member of the social committee known as "Koree Birmadummaa," which works to rebuild trust between police and civilians, especially students. He takes on a number of responsibilities within social initiatives in his community, such as serving as a member of the CSIF project's Human Rights committee, taking part in local Edir (traditional funeral savings association), and being a member of the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). He claims that police misconduct and a lack of proper procedural justice are the main causes of human rights violations in the area, including rape, torture, and arbitrary detentions.

 He and the other “Koree Birmadummaa” committee members are bringing these various concerns to round table discussions using the PTSA platforms at the adjacent school. These meetings are considered to be excellent venues for elevating the views of students, particularly female students who are vulnerable to sexual assault, because they are attended by representatives of the local police force, administrators, school directors, instructors, Edir leaders, parents, and so on. During one of these discussions, a female student asked police officers, "What would happen to you if you happened to be the perpetrator of sexual assault? " Furgassa recalls this question, “Will you face justice or be granted immunity?”

 Furgassa shared the Afan Oromo proverb "Afuura xiraa’ufi amala badduu abbaan ofirraa hin beeku" when discussing the importance of these platforms. It roughly translates to "people do not often notice the smell of their own breath, and are not aware of their bad behaviors."

These discussion forums initiated through CSIF have been an effective means of letting the public know how police officers really present themselves to the public and of helping them understand the environment in which they work. According to Medareshaw, “police should be well aware that improving actual crime control efficacy alone cannot guarantee public trust in the police, rather, it is a required condition, and one of the fundamental aspects of how the public views the police.

 According to the project coordinator, Ato Tenna, "Koree Birmadummaa" aims to foster an environment that is supportive of the local police force and the public's cooperation in defending human rights. Ato Furgassa applauded the platform for pursuing greater trust and cooperation in community-police engagement in the hopes of a better tomorrow. Additionally, he recognized the project's importance in giving rise to these opportunities for the people of Lega Tafo and the police to work together to further the advancement and defense of human rights in the region.

[1] Medareshaw Tafesse Melkamu & Woldeab Teshome (2023), Public Trust in the police: Investigating the influence of police performance, procedural fairness, and police community relations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia