Sharing Sovereignty in the Streets

Abstract

This chapter examines international policing in fragile states. It discusses the aims and challenges of engaging external actors in core domestic law enforcement functions, drawing from the multiple cases in which external actors and local police have shared sovereign police powers. It then examines the case of joint policing in Timor-Leste, and shows how national and international interests converged during the 2006 security crisis that gripped the country, enabling international police to step into the breach and provide important security services. However, this case also shows how interests can diverge and dissipate as crises pass, and illustrates the added challenges of performing well and earning legitimacy in domains like policing, which depend heavily on local knowledge.