Publication

This paper assesses the monitoring and oversight of metropolitan police departments (MPD) in Gauteng province, South Africa. It reviews international trends in police oversight, analyzes MPD quarterly reports to appraise the efficacy of extant oversight programs and offers recommendations. The author contends that the police play a fundamental role in the consolidation of democracy through providing services that enhance community safety. However, to achieve their legally prescribed mandates, police agencies must remain publicly accountable.