Tackling Corruption and Strengthening Integrity: the Role of Police Oversight Bodies
Representatives from police oversight bodies, internal affairs departments, and anti-corruption agencies from across Europe gathered virtually for the EPAC/EACN webinar “Tackling corruption and strengthening integrity: the role of Police Oversight Bodies.” The event brought together experts to exchange experiences and share innovative practices aimed at reinforcing integrity and accountability within police institutions.
Police oversight bodies play a pivotal role in maintaining public confidence in law enforcement, ensuring that the exercise of police powers remains transparent, ethical, and accountable. Recognising these challenges, the webinar offered a platform to discuss practical measures to prevent corruption and misconduct, and to explore how oversight institutions can adapt to emerging risks in an increasingly digital and complex policing environment
Moderated by Mr Hugh Hume, Chief Executive of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and Deputy Vice-President of the EPAC/EACN, the session featured a diverse panel of speakers from Romania, France, Lithuania, and Northern Ireland. Each presentation offered a unique perspective on addressing corruption risks and promoting integrity in policing.
Mr Marin Teodor, Police Inspector at Romania’s Anticorruption General Directorate, shared lessons learned from Romania’s long-standing experience in integrity testing – a proactive mechanism to assess police officers’ adherence to ethical standards. His insights illustrated how such testing not only deters misconduct but also serves as a diagnostic tool for identifying systemic weaknesses.
From France, Ms Lucile Rolland, Deputy Head of the French National Police General Inspectorate (IGPN) and Vice-president of the EPAC/EACN, presented an in-depth analysis of ongoing efforts to prevent and tackle the illegitimate use of police databases. She highlighted a multi-annual national plan to combat corruption (2024–2027), the development of a national police risks catalogue, and current initiatives to employ data analytics and algorithms to detect abnormal behaviour patterns within police systems.
Representing the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (OPONI), Director of Organisational Impact Ms Jennifer Lamont reflected on the importance of shifting focus from individual wrongdoing to systemic failures in police oversight. Drawing on the OPONI’s experience, she argued that addressing misconduct effectively requires understanding not only who failed but why such failures occurred. By examining institutional structures and culture, oversight bodies can promote sustainable reform and prevent recurrence
Ms Dalia Lombardero Chartuni, Chief investigator of the Immunity Board of Lithuanian Police Department, provided an inspiring example of how sustained anti-corruption efforts can transform an institution. Marking the fourteenth anniversary of the Board’s establishment, she showcased Lithuania’s comprehensive integrity framework – ranging from preventive monitoring and corruption risk assessments to ethics codes, whistleblower protection systems, and public awareness campaigns. The results speak for themselves: the number of bribery attempts against police officers has decreased dramatically from over 800 cases in 2015 to fewer than 20 in 2024.
Throughout the discussion, participants agreed that police oversight must go beyond disciplinary procedures to address the deeper causes of corruption and misconduct. Strong ethical leadership, continuous education, and collaboration between oversight bodies emerged as essential components of effective integrity systems.
In his closing remarks, Mr Hugh Hume emphasised that maintaining public trust in policing requires ongoing vigilance and cooperation. Oversight institutions, he noted, must not only react to individual cases but also contribute to broader learning and systemic improvement across law enforcement agencies.
The EPAC/EACN Secretariat extends its warm appreciation to all speakers and participants for their thoughtful contributions and active engagement. The webinar once again demonstrated the importance of shared learning and mutual support among Europe’s police oversight community.
Looking ahead, the EPAC/EACN Secretariat warmly invites members to share their topics of interest and ideas for future webinars and activities. Contributions and suggestions can be sent to the EPAC/EACN Secretariat via secretariat@epac-eacn.org. Your input will help shape the next discussions and ensure that upcoming initiatives continue to address the most relevant and pressing challenges faced by police oversight bodies across Europe.