Police Democratization in Europe

Left Strategy Project 2014: International Workshop

Athens Chamber of Crafts

Akadimias 18

Presentation and discussion of the paper “Democratizing the Police in Europe”, by Georgios Papanicolaou and Giorgos Rigakos, in cooperation with Nicos Poulantzas Institute and Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

 

Download the paper for free at the Publications site

The issues addressed are the following:

I. Varieties of Police Organizational Models

What are the different organizational models of the police? Indicate their basic features and their impact on the social control of crime. Particular emphasis is to be placed on the division between Northern and Southern Europe and on the models adapted respectively by these regions.

Which are the macrohistorical causes shaping the trajectories followed by the different models? Emphasis to be placed on the timing of democratic transition and on whether nation-states under scrutiny emerged out of disintegrating empires.

To what extend the different models of policing in Europe converge into a unison neoliberal model that focuses on the preservation of Law and order?

II. The Relations of Police and Democracy in Times of Crisis. The Agenda of Law and Order

In what ways the neoliberal model is consolidated in further in times of crisis? Do the grounds of Law and Order do we witness an insulation of the police bureaucratic machinery from democratic control?  In what ways democratic control can be restored and preserved in a corrupted and autarchic police? This process of Police autonomization is accompanied further by a link between the police and Far-right cells? Which are the “best practices” for quelling this process?

III. Possible Left Responses in the Organizing of Police

Is there a Left democratic answer to the neoliberal dogma of policing which is based on the fear of crime?

In what ways can we face current neoliberal policies based on Law and Order?

The essay includes both the theoretical and practical aspects of the topic. Furthermore, provides the political and social reasoning to the development of the various models of policing and finally the most interesting characteristic is that concludes in specific series regarding the orientation and implementation of a radical left transformation of police. It has been published as transform! discussion paper.


Programme

Friday 21 November

15:00-15:30 Opening Haris Golemis, legal representative of transform!-director of Nicos Poulantzas Institute, Walter Baier, coordinator of transform! europe Network

 

First session 15:30 – 17:30

DEMOCRATIZING POLICE IN EUROPE: THEORETICAL TRENDS AND POLICY PERSPECTIVES

15:30 – 16:30 Essay PresentationGeorge Papanicolaou, Teesside University, George Rigakos, Carleton University

16:30- 17:00 Discussants: Sophia Vidali, Democritus University of Thrace,

17:00-17:30 Discussion

Chair: Haris Golemis, Director of Nicos Poulantzas Institute

 

Coffee break 17:30 – 18:00

 

Second Session 18:00 – 20:00

THEORETICAL VARIATIONS OF SECURITY AND CONTROL IN LATE MODERNITY: CAPITALISM, CRIME, POLICE, POLICING

18:00 – 18:20 Volker Eick, Humboldt University

18:20 – 18:40 Stratos Georgoulas, University of the Aegean

18:40 – 19:00 Anastasia Tsoukala, University of Paris XI

19:00 – 20:00 Discussion

Chair: Fanis Papageorgiou Dr. NTUA, Transform! Europe

 

Saturday 22 November

First session 11:00 – 13:00

SECURITY, POLICING AND DEMOCRACY IN EU

11:00 – 11:20 Andreas Giolasis Greek dept. Amnesty International

11:20 – 11:40 Cleio Papapantoleon, Lawyer, g.s, Hellenic League for Human Rights

11:40 – 12:00 Spyros Koulocheris Greek Council for Refugees

12:00 – 13:00 Discussion

 

Coffee break 13:00 – 13:30

Chair: Dimosthenis Papadatos Anagnostopoulos SYRIZA, dept. of Rights

 

Second session 13:30 – 15:30

POLICE REFORMS IN EUROPE

13:30 – 13:50 Dagmar Svendova, Czech Republic, responsible on issues of security and justice, Communist party of Bohemia-Moravia

13:50 – 14:10 Tasos Mavropoulos, responsible of security and justice dept., SYRIZA

14:10 – 14:30 Fabien Guillaud Bataille, responsible on issues of security and justice, PCF

14:30 – 14:50 Hakan Tas (MP, DIE LINKE)

14:00 – 14:50 Discussion

Chair: Giorgos Papanikolaou, Teesside University

End of morning session

 

Third session 17:30-19:30

STATE POLICE AND THE STATE IN LATE MODERN CAPITALISM

17:30 – 17:50 Salvatore Palidda, University of Genova

17:50 – 18:10 Nikolaos Koulouris Democritus University of Thrace

18:10 – 18:30 Antreas Karitzis, dr Philosophy, Central Committee of SYRIZA

18:30 – 19:30 Discussion

Chair: Sofia Vidali, Democritus University of Thrace

 

Sunday 23 November

First session 10:00 – 11:30

POLICE, POLICING AND CIVIL RIGHTS IN GREECE

10:00 – 10:20 Vassilis Karydis, The Greek Ombudsman

10:20 – 10:40 Christos Fotopoulos g.s. Hellenic Federation of Police Servants

10:40 – 11:00 Dimitris Tsoukalas, MP, responsible for security and police issues, SYRIZA

11:00 – 11:30 Discussion

Chair: Tasia Christodoulopoulou, Lawyer, dept. of Rights SYRIZA

Coffee break 11:30 – 12:00

Second session 12:00 – 13:45

POLICE, CRIME AND SECURITY IN GREECE DURING ECONOMIC CRISIS  

12:00 – 12:20 Giannis Panousis, University of Athens, MP DIMAR

12:20 – 12:40 Olga Themeli, University of Crete

12:40 – 13:00 Grigoris Lazos, Panteion University

13:00 – 13:30 Discussion

Chair: Athina Athanasiou, Panteion University, vice pr. Nicos Poulantzas Institute

Launch Break 13:30 – 15:30

Third session 15:30 – 17:30

FREEDOM, SECURITY, POLICE: LAW, IDEOLOGY AND REALITY OF SOCIAL ORDER

16:00 – 16:20 Elli Simeonidou – Kastanidou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

16:20 – 16:40 Nikos Paraskevopoulos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

16:40 – 17:00 Sophia Vidali, Democritus University of Thrace

17:00 – 18:00 Discussion

Chair: Sia Anagnostopoulou, Panteion University

Coffee Break 18:00 – 18:15

Round Table 18:15 – 20:00

 

TOWARDS A DEMOCRATIC POLICE: A LEFT PERSPECTIVE

Aristidis Baltas pr. NTUA, president of the Nicos Poulantzas Institute, Vasiliki Katrivanou MP dept. of Rights, Mania Mpartefski, dept. of Rights, SYRIZA Dimitris Tsoukalas, MP, Tasos Mavropoulos, responsible of security and justice dept., SYRIZA