RPCA Academy, Nakhon Pathom (Thailand), 7 November 2023 – Recognizing the importance of promoting ethics and integrity among police cadets in Southeast Asia, UNODC, in cooperation with the Royal Police Cadet Academy (RPCA) of the Royal Thai Police, organized an essay competition for police cadets focused on promoting the values of ethics and integrity in policing. This initiative is currently underway in four pilot countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam; and aims to provide police cadets with an understanding of corruption’s characteristics and the mechanisms to prevent it.
In Thailand, UNODC has been collaborating with the RPCA on this endeavour since June 2023, organizing pre-competition workshops for the cadets on international standards of ethics and integrity in law enforcement, as well as topics related to corruption and ethical challenges in daily police work. The award ceremony for the essay competition, celebrating the exceptional achievements of the finalists and winners, was held on 7 November by the Commissioner of the RPCA, Pol. Maj. Gen. Zenith Samransamruadkit, along with staff members from the Faculty of Police Science, the Cadet Command Division, as well as UNODC.
The winning essay highlighted the potential uses of blockchain technology in preventing corruption in policing, stating “Blockchain technology can offer a promising solution to enhance transparency and accountability in police operations. By utilizing a decentralized and tamper-resistant digital ledger, transactions involving arrests, investigations, and officer conduct can be securely recorded and verified. Leveraging blockchain technology will allow law enforcement to establish a secure and transparent system that fosters trust, integrity, and effective oversight in the fight against police corruption.”
In reward for their outstanding performance, the RPCA cadet selected from the competition will participate in a side event at the 2023 UNCAC Conference of States Parties (#COSP10) on 11-15 December in Atlanta, United States. UNODC Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor for Southeast Asia, Ms. Annika Wythes, commented, “The ongoing and successful partnership between the RPCA and UNODC is an essential contribution to building a foundation of ethics and integrity of future leaders within law enforcement institutions in Thailand.”
The winning essay can be found in its entirety on the UNODC website here.
This activity was funded by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea (KMOJ), as part of a broader initiative to instill a zero tolerance for corruption in policing in all four participating countries across Southeast Asia.
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