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provincial and municipal autho- related perception that without in- lented adviser cannot provide his
rities, and where possible also by ternational support – both profes- most efficient contribution if he is
the private sector. That is called lo- sional and financial – all ongoing not properly trained to operate in
cal ownership, and is the ultimate projects will fail; fear of becoming that specific function and within
goal of every international mission. targets of historical tensions, pres- a holistic and coordinated policy.
Strategic advisers are aware of that, sures and influences, from whi- The Carabinieri Corps has deca-
and they must address their action ch the international presence had des of experience in police strate-
towards that objective. Excessively temporarily sheltered them; on a gic advising, made in the course of
stern, unrelenting attitudes will not more prosaic level, even the know- several international missions and
pay off: advisers have to come to ledge that, gone the active and operations, in which they acted wi-
terms with local standards, and to dynamic foreigners, the time has thin both the military and the poli-
realise that behaviours they would come to work hard and take risks. ce components. Along with major
never condone in their country of In light of the above and in view of international stakeholders, and
origin are the norm in theater. Fur- achieving local ownership, strate- in order to clarify objectives and
thermore, their counterparts are in gic advisers must project all acti- procedures, they feel the need of
their position as a result of complex vities to the moment in which their a structured policy regulating po-
and delicate negotiations betwe- counterparts will be called to ful- lice strategic advising in capacity
en all local factions, and starting ly manage them, with no external building missions, and related tar-
a personal crusade against a mi- support. Such transition should be geted training. The International
nister, under-secretary or Chief of prepared well in advance, and Conference held at CoESPU last
Police based on some minor cases eased by constantly increasing November started that process:
of perceived corruption can break local responsibilities and self-suf- the wealth of expertise, informa-
that fragile balance, jeopardising ficiency, in order to enhance spe- tion and case-studies contributed
the whole mission and even the cific competence and build confi- in that occasion, combined with
hardly achieved cease-fire or pe- dence. Strategic advisers can only significant in-house experience,
ace agreement. That is not to say claim to have completely fulfilled provide the necessary base for
that corruption must be condoned, their mandate when they have fi- initiating a project aimed at ela-
but that demanding the removal of nalised the transfer of their analyti- borating a model for a policy on
a top level official expecting that cal and planning capacity to their police strategic advising, and at
his replacement would be any bet- local partners, so to put them in creating a course for prospecti-
ter is preposterous. As long as their the best possible position to ef- ve police strategic advisers to be
relationship with their counterparts ficiently identify and assess any organised and held at CoESPU.
is positive and the ongoing projects new challenge, then planning
are proceeding, even if not as fast all necessary countermeasures.
as anticipated, strategic advisers Conclusions
must try their best to give conti- Strategic advising in police capacity
nuity to the capacity building pro- building is a complex and very dif-
cess, aiming at the big objective ficult activity, as it deals with re-or-
(local ownership), never forgetting ganising composite central structu-
that they work for the good of the res of a sovereign country and with
host-State, not for that of their own. long-term planning in difficult ti-
It often happens that local authori- mes with multiple, ever-changing,
ties are reluctant to take full respon- unpredictable variables. All that
sibility of long-term projects. That having the highest political levels
can be due to a number of factors: of the host-State as direct counter-
the understandable concern of not parts. For that reasons, police stra-
being yet ready to “take the helm”, tegic advisers must have a set of Lt. Col. Roberto Gonella
despite the more or less extended personal and professional quali- CoESPU Peace Support
period of co-management with ties not easily found. However, that Operations Chair
their international partners; the is not enough: even the most ta-

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