The government of President Santos is planning ahead to a post-conflict Colombia and exploring the creation of a Ministry of Public Security.
The purpose of a Ministry of Public Security is to demilitarize the Police and restructure it to solely handle the security of citizens. In addition, the Ministry of Public Security would handle all connected to the disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation of former members of illegal armed groups.
The police would need 220,000 more men (today there are 167.121) to be able to carry out what would be expected.
The Armed Forces would continue to be responsible for the challenges of sovereignty and terrorism.
Members of the Police expressed such a structure would only work if there is no threat of an internal conflict — and it is too optimistic to think Colombia has arrived at a moment of post-conflict.
Talking About Colombia 
The key of the whole plan is to believe that a post-conflict stage can be reached within a short period of time. That is, indeed, too optimistic.
Even if FARC demobilize, which I do not see happening completely, there will be many a criminal organization made up of former FARC members who know nothing more than what they have been forced to do their entire lives.
In this sense, for the Police to return to its public force roots without the simultaneous strengthening of the military would be to open the door to desperate criminality, in my view.
By: Daniel Trujillo on September 16, 2013
at 12:46 am
Agreed.
Colombia’s military is already strong; it has been called the strongest in the region. However, the military works closely with the police, and I agree that they need to keep co-operating in what they are doing now.
– Paula
By: Paula Delgado-Kling on September 18, 2013
at 9:24 am