Laurent X. has spent five years working as a police expert in international peacebuilding missions – two years in Ivory Coast and  three years in Liberia. While these deployments presented some real challenges both from a professional and a family perspective, Laurent believes they were also extremely valuable experiences. Meeting.

What motivated you to go on a CIVPOL mission abroad?

I’ve always wanted to broaden my horizons and explore different cultures. Being deployed on a mission has given me the opportunity to do this. Tourists will generally only have a superficial view of a country. Going on a police mission means experiencing a much harsher, more brutal reality. A CIVPOL expert should help to change the image of the local police so they’re perceived more as a service than a heavy-handed force. Our work involves complete immersion in local police and civilian life. We deal with the reality of everyday life, injustice, survival and a number of other challenges.

What are your general impressions of your missions?

Extraordinary.

It's extraordinary to see the local police, who earn a pittance, work day and night with completely inadequate resources fighting crime and helping victims. It's also extraordinary to see the unflinching determination in their eyes to improve their country and make their children’s lives more bearable.

Thrilling. 

It’s thrilling to work with these officers who strive to learn and develop, so that justice - as imperfect as it may be - is served. We’ve gone into neighbourhoods that were unimaginable. We’ve carried out major investigations, where an international presence is needed to ensure the police work is conducted without bias. We’ve helped the local police open their eyes to injustices. We’ve managed to make the police understand that just because certain situations are common it doesn’t mean that they’re normal, and that it is possible to change things; that change requires a lot of work and sacrifice but it’s not unattainable.

Gruelling.

The missions are gruelling. We work seven days a week and have no real schedule. We investigate murders, rape, child sexual abuse, armed assaults, human trafficking, female genital mutilation and other criminal offences. We aim to make our work as comprehensive and effective as possible. We educate international police officers so they can understand their local colleagues. Our daily determination sets an example to the whole population who have suffered so much and demonstrated extraordinary resilience. They now need to acknowledge the past in order to move forward and play a role in re-establishing the rule of law. 

Frustrating.

It is frustrating that before conducting a criminal investigation, you have to persuade people that a crime has indeed taken place, particularly in the case of female genital mutilation or rape. Although many police officers have demonstrated a willingness to change, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes the police strive to do their job, but other services do not always keep pace. There is also criticism of the work of the international community.

What advice would you give someone who is going or would like to go on a mission?

You have to be open-minded and be prepared not just to understand the differences but to accept them without being judgemental. Someone who is deployed on a mission experiences a great deal of culture shock, not only within the organisation they’ll be working for, but also in the host country itself. To do a good job, you need to be able to identify, understand and accept differences, so you can suggest innovative solutions that are specifically tailored to the host country.

Being deployed on a mission is clearly a strain on the family. It’s important to talk to your loved ones about the effects that distance and physical absence will have. It’s also important to agree clear guidelines with your family on what to do if there’s a problem. What would I do if I received bad news from home while on a mission? I spent nearly two years in Liberia. There were only three flights a week to Europe. I had to have a clear procedure with my family on what to do if anything terrible were to happen. It’s very important to be honest. It’s not about keeping quiet to protect the other person who is away on a mission. It’s about being honest so that the right steps can be taken quickly. For example, I agreed with my parents that they wouldn’t keep anything from me about their state of health, so that, if needed, I’d be able to make any decisions promptly and return as quickly as possible. This is absolutely crucial for a healthy state of mind. We may not be able to do anything about what life throws at us, but we can at least be prepared so we know how to respond and deal with it.

Do you have any anecdotes from your time abroad?

Living conditions in the host country are harder than in Switzerland. There isn’t much free time and the work is tough. To make it to the end of the mission, you need to ensure you have a healthy lifestyle. The local food in Ivory Coast and Liberia is excellent. Bushmeat is well worth trying. I ate field mouse, porcupine, antelope and other meat. Contrary to popular belief, I've never been sick from eating food at uninviting local restaurants. I have, however, been sick after eating in upmarket international restaurants.

What is the difference between your work in Switzerland and on mission?        

A mission is just another job. We don’t do the work, we monitor and check everything is being done. We’re mentors and the local police aren’t obliged to follow our advice. You therefore have to negotiate, argue, insist and be determined so that your local counterparts understand and embrace the investigative steps that need to be taken. 

In Liberia, an experienced police officer will generally have between five and seven years of experience. In Switzerland, a police officer with five years of experience will only just be considered as having completed their training. They wouldn’t be allowed to head up a crime squad, as might be the case in Liberia. 

I’ve learnt skills on my mission that I wouldn’t have learnt in Switzerland. I’ve had to adapt and adjust to a very different environment, system and people. It’s safe to say that I’ve learnt a tremendous amount from a human perspective. 

A mission unfolds much like a career but at breakneck speed. Most police officers are only deployed for one year. There’s a high staff turnover, which can lead to excellent opportunities for promotion.

How do you assess the contribution your missions have made to Switzerland’s safety?

There’s no doubt that our country benefits from having skilled people on foreign missions. The problems in these countries cannot be ignored simply because they’re happening far away from our beautiful land. If Liberia develops, prospers and offers its people better education opportunities and a brighter future, they will in turn be more inclined to remain in their country rather than set off in search of some Eldorado elsewhere, including Switzerland. It’s crucial to assist in international aid efforts and to work on the ground where the problem is, rather than do nothing and then find we’ve imported the problems over here. During my missions, I’ve seen heinous crimes being committed. I believe it’s our duty to step up our efforts to ensure that one day these countries may find peace and stability.