Military Police contains information about military police functions in maneuver and mobility support, area security, law and order, internment/resettlement, and police intelligence operations.
Issue link: https://militarypolice.epubxp.com/i/115206
Cross-Cultural Competencies and Ethical Considerations in Criminal Investigation and Detention Operations learned and recommendations for change further validates the need for sociocultural perspectives. Under the law of military justice, military leaders are responsible for the conduct of their troops. Insuf¿cient forces, inadequate leadership and training, uncertain goals and objectives, vague or contradictory orders, dehumanizing characterizations of enemy forces and civilian populations, and convenient interpretations of rules of combat that de¿ne acceptable levels of "collateral damage" often create an environment that is conducive to criminal acts by our Soldiers at war. Most people within the intelligence community now recognize that an understanding of a culture helps in establishing a context for human activity and provides key insights into the potential meaning and signi¿cance of actions. It helps analysts determine the "why" and the "so what" of a particular behavior. In this way, sociocultural perspectives provide a framework for understanding. The contributions of social and behavioral sciences to the predictive capabilities of intelligence depend on the critical factors that shape leaders' decisions in different contexts and on the criteria that are used to the select circumstances of, and methods for, intergroup negotiations. The United States has signed and enacted numerous instruments that contain voluntary or mandatory standards barring U.S. armed forces from practicing the degrading treatment or torture of all persons. Some examples of these instruments include the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights;"1 the "Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons Under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment;"2 the "Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners;"3 the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,"4 and U.S. military internment and interrogation policies. Military police personnel should be properly trained to protect the human rights of detainees, to adhere to the rules of engagement and legal and ethical procedures of interrogations, and to properly report injuries or deaths in cases of abuse. The job of the Army is not only to win America's wars, but also to defend America's values. Military police are trained to create a secure and humane world and to advance justice, human dignity, and respect for the rule of law. Cross-Cultural Competencies and Ethical Considerations in Police Intelligence Operations Military police conduct police intelligence operations through integrated mounted and dismounted patrols and in coordination with joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational assets. Military police patrols contribute to con¿rming or denying the commander's critical information requirements. In most government circles, sociocultural perspectives have received increased attention since 11 September 2001. These sociocultural perspectives have been applied to many dimensions of national security, including intentions; threats; capabilities; and preventive, protective, and predictive strategies. With the end of the Cold War and the rise of asymmetric terrorist threats in the late 20th century, the need for sociocultural perspectives has increased. These new threats and crises have arisen from worldwide regions and cultures that are relatively unfamiliar to Western analysts. The need for sociocultural perspectives emerged as a major theme in comments from military personnel returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of¿cers cited their practical ground experience in dealing with nontraditional warfare, local populations, and inadequate cultural and linguistic knowledge. A growing body of testimonials and studies regarding lessons MILITARY POLICE . 19-13-1 Culture as a Framework for Understanding The Path Forward The July 2003 Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Discriminate Use of Force concluded that there was a need for a "comprehensive, long-term, and coherent effort to understand adversaries in a systemic way"5 and that this would require models which account not only for physical dimensions, but also for "softer" social and cultural dimensions.6 The task force also noted the current immaturity of capabilities in this area.7 Furthermore, the Defense Science Board 2006 Summer Study on 21st Century Strategic Technology Vectors ranks social science foremost among the four operational capabilities and enabling technologies needed to support future military missions and emphasizes that "Perhaps most central is to gain deeper understanding of how individuals, groups, societies, and nations behave and then use this information to (1) improve the performance of U.S. forces through continuous education and training and (2) shape behaviors of others in pre-, intra-, and post-conÀict situations. Key enablers include immersive gaming environments; automated language processing; and human, social, cultural, and behavior modeling."8 Ethical Considerations Along the Path Members of several social science disciplines have raised ethical concerns about the collection and use of sociocultural knowledge in a national security environment. For example, the American Psychological Association has issued a formal statement regarding the ethics of using psychology and psychologists in interrogations.9 In addition, the American Anthropological Association has established an ad hoc commission to investigate the implications of member participation in national security activities, and a heated internal debate is currently underway. There is a keen interest in, and a strong need for, sociocultural data, analyses, and approaches in a wide range of critical national security endeavors. This need is especially crucial within the military police intelligence community. Answers to questions regarding tools (including issues related to the development and use of computational models), methods (including issues related to data collection, analysis, and dissemination), ethics, and the development of cross-community and interdisciplinary ties are essential to moving forward. 31