1948/01/01
First reference to United Nations police
Secretary-General Trygve Lie suggests establishment of the United Nations police service.
Click through the timeline below to learn more about our history.
Secretary-General Trygve Lie suggests establishment of the United Nations police service.
United Nations Police deploy for the first time to the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC).
1960 - United Nations Police deployed for the first time to the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC).
The first “component” of police deploys to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), where the United Nations Police still serve today.
Number of United Nations peacekeeping operations increases, and United Nations Police components deploy to United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG), United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL), United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) and United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC).
In the 1990s, the number of United Nations peacekeeping operations increased and United Nations Police components were deployed in United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG), United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL), United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) and United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC).
By 1994, 1,677 United Nations Police were deployed in peacekeeping operations. In 2005, the name was changed from Civilian Police or CIVPOL to United Nations Police.
United Nations police played an important role in the United Nations operations in the former Yugoslavia, namely: United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES), United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP), United Nations Civilian Police Support Group (UNPSG), as well as United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO). United Nations Police were given an executive mandate in the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
The United Nations General Assembly requests the Secretary-General to “strengthen further the civilian police function within the Department of Peace-keeping Operations.”
The first formed police unit was deployed by the United Nations to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). In December 1999, 4,613 United Nations Police were deployed in 11 United Nations peacekeeping operations.
United Nations Police receive first executive mandates in the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and East Timor (UNTAET).
The United Nations Panel on Peace Operations, in what became known as the “Brahimi Report” calls for a doctrinal shift in the use of police and other rule of law elements. The Civilian Police Unit, created in 1993 within the Military Division of the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), becomes its own entity as the DPO Civilian Police Division.
The United Nations Panel on Peace Operations called for, among other things, a “doctrinal shift” in the use of police and other rule of law elements. The Civilian Police Unit, created in 1993 inside of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), becomes the DPKO Police Division. Since 2007, the Division forms part of the DPKO Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions.
Appointment of the first woman United Nations Civilian Police Adviser, Commissioner Kiran Bedi of India, who was also the first female police officer in India when she joined the Indian Police Service in 1972.
The Civilian Police, or CIVPOL, become the United Nations Police.
The General Assembly creates the United Nations Standing Police Capacity to start up police components in new missions and assist police components in existing missions.
Designation of the United Nations Police as the global lead on policing and other law enforcement within the United Nations system by Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
The Police Division launches the development of the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Police Peacekeeping (SGF), the doctrinal foundation for United Nations policing.
Following the Brahimi Report, the General Assembly created the United Nations Standing Police Capacity to start up police components in new missions and assist police components in existing missions, which became operational in October 2007. Police officers and staff were immediately deployed to help set up the United Nations Police component in the United Nations Mission in Chad (MINURCAT).
The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) was established with an executive mandate for United Nations Police.
The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) was established with an executive mandate for United Nations police.
The United Nations Standing Police Capacity becomes operational in October, and police officers and staff immediately deploy to help set up the United Nations Police component in the United Nations Mission in Chad (MINURCAT).
The first all-female formed police unit was deployed from India to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in January 2007.
Deployment of the first all-female Formed Police Unit (India) to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
The Police Division becomes part of the newly established Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI), together with the Justice and Corrections Service, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Section, Security Sector Reform Unit and United Nations Mine Action Service.
Following the first review of the Police Division, the General Assembly granted a staffing increase that almost doubles its size from 27 to 47 posts.
Signing of the Supplementary Arrangement between DPO and INTERPOL on the activities of Peacekeeping Operations and Special Political Missions, maximizing synergies between two global policing bodies.
In August, the United Nations launches Global Effort to increase the participation of female police officers in national police services and, subsequently, in United Nations peace operations around the world.
In August 2009, the United Nations launched a Global Effort to increase the participation of female police officers in national police services and, subsequently, in United Nations peace operations around the world. The goal of the United Nations is to have 20 percent of its police female.
14,669 United Nations Police of 17,616 authorized deployed.
Creation of the Woman United Nations Police Officer of the Year Award during the annual conference of the International Association of Women Police (IAWP).
Issue of the first report of the Secretary-General dedicated to United Nations policing.
In November, the Secretary-General issued the first report dedicated to United Nations Police (A/66/615). The report illustrates the growing importance of the United Nations Police as a central element in the achievement of sustainable peace and security, challenges faced and to better respond to those challenges, using scarce global resources in the most efficient manner.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Policy Committee decision 2012/13 tasked DPO and UNDP to establish and manage an arrangement known as the Global Focal Point (GFP) for Police, Justice and Corrections Areas in the Rule of Law in Post-conflict and other Crisis Situations to improve coherence and quality of United Nations system-wide assistance in these areas and reiterated the status of UNPOL as a system-wide provider.
Closure of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) on 31 December.
The completion of the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste in December revealed a number of best practices, including the usage of civilian police experts as a complement to the existing deployment modalities of individual police experts and formed police units.
In December, the first phase of the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Police Peacekeeping and the United Nations Police Multi-Year Vision and Strategy 2020 are finalised.
Issuance of the capstone document of the SGF, the Policy on United Nations Police in Peacekeeping Operations and Special Political Missions.
UNMIL Police provide critical support to the national authorities in responding to the Ebola virus epidemic in Liberia.
In November, the Security Council adopted the first thematic resolution 2185 (2014) on international police peacekeeping, complementing guidance and strategic direction United Nations Police receives from the General Assembly Special Committee on United Nations Peacekeeping (C-34), the United Nations forum mandated to review comprehensively the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects.
The Security Council adopts the first thematic resolution 2185 on international police peacekeeping.
The High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO) presents its report on how United Nations peace operations can be made more effective, efficient and responsive and recommends an external review on the Police Division.
Upon request of the United Nations Secretary-General the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO) presented its report on how United Nations peace operations can be made more effective, efficient and responsive in June 2015 (A/70/95). In his implementation report, the Secretary-General welcomed the progress on the Strategic Guidance Framework, took note of the work on new modalities for planning and recruitment and tasked the Police Division to initiate an external review of its future function, structure and capacity (A/70/357). An independent review team began work in early 2016. Its report will feed into the Secretary-Generals report on United Nations Police, due by December 2016.
Inaugural United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS) is held in New York, placing United Nations policing at the nexus of national and global security efforts.
The report of the Secretary-General on United Nations Police, requested in Security Council resolution 2185 (2014)will be published in late 2016. The third phase of the Strategic Guidance Framework was launched, including the development of manuals on how to conduct UN policing.
The Security Council adopts resolution 2382 supporting the implementation of the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Policing (SGF).
The Security Council adopts the second resolution on UN policing 2382 (2017) underlining the role of UN police in prevention and peacekeeping to peacebuilding and development.
The Police Division and the Integrated Training Service launch the UNPOL Training Architecture Program at the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centre’s annual conference in Auckland, New Zealand.
The Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 2447 underlining the importance of rule of law institutions for achieving sustainable peace in countries hosting peace operations.
Following four Command Development Courses, the Police Division establishes its 170-strong cadre for women police officers seeking leadership and professional posts.
The establishment of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) marked the end of 15 years of United Nations peacekeeping operations and a new era for the country.
The United Nations Police mobilize as first responders to provide critical support to authorities and communities in host States and non-mission settings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to carry out their core mandated tasks.