What is the recommended police-to-population ratio?
A recommended police-to-population ratio is difficult to determine as it would depend on the state of peace and order in any given location, population density and the actual demands of the service in a particular area. Mark Shaw, director of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, told Africa Check that he "doubt[s] that agreement on such a number would be possible...Even if such a number existed, I don’t think it would be particularly helpful.” He said that while the number of police is an important factor, it is also necessary to consider what the police do and how they are trained. “I don’t think it is wrong to debate the numbers of police but it should be combined with a discussion of how overall policing can be improved.”
