text: Chapter 1
  Civilian Oversight and Control
  1-87. Establishing civilian oversight and control of the defense sector is critical to the success of any
  security sector reform. Oversight and control mechanisms as well as processes ensure civilian control of the
  military, a fundamental tenet of democratic governance. These processes and mechanisms also ensure that
  the various components of the defense sector are accountable to elected and appointed civilian leadership,
  in both the executive and legislative branches. That accountability is essential to establishing a sound
  foundation for defense budget planning and program implementation.
  1-88. The ministry of defense acts as the primary agent of civilian oversight and control within the defense
  sector of many foreign nations. A key indicator of civilian oversight and control is the number of civilian
  positions in the ministry of defense. The ministry of defense operates within some form of interagency or
  cabinet framework that establishes political links and accountability between the ministry and the executive
  and legislative branches. Other agencies involved in the defense sector may share oversight and control
  responsibilities, such as the cabinet-level leadership of intelligence agencies, executive protection forces,
  and border forces. In transitioning or post-conflict states, these institutions are frequently weak,
  dysfunctional, or altogether absent. Security sector reform encompasses restructuring, rebuilding, and, in
  some cases, creating entirely new institutions. These programs coordinate with the host nation to provide
  oversight and control mechanisms for the defense sector.
  1-89. The legislative branch plays an important role in oversight and control. The legislature typically
  determines the funding level of government activities while providing the statutory framework for planning
  and implementation. Constitutional frameworks may give the legislature a share in the appointment of
  senior government officials, or in the structuring, commissioning, and promoting of Soldiers. In this
  context, building an effective partnership between the executive and legislative branches becomes an
  important enabler of effective security sector reform.
  1-90. Most transitioning and post-conflict host nations clearly define and delineate the roles and
  responsibilities of military forces and law enforcement agencies as they provide internal security. If the
  security apparatus of a host nation begins to fracture, the necessary distinctions between military and law
  enforcement roles and missions erode or disappear entirely. This situation frequently leads to inappropriate
  military involvement in political affairs. As a result, military forces may subsume justice and law
  enforcement functions although they lack professional training and appropriate equipment. Security sector
  reform must restore the distinction between military and law enforcement functions as well as provide
  robust mechanisms to sustain that distinction. This is particularly important with host nations embroiled in
  an insurgency, where the military seeks to assume the primary role while marginalizing the police.
  1-91. The primary agent of civilian oversight and control over law enforcement agencies is likely a
  separate ministry, such as the ministry of interior or of justice. As host-nation capacity for law enforcement
  increases, inherent power struggles may develop as police leaders strive to control the management of
  social order. For this reason, security sector reform focuses on improving communication and coordination
  between disparate ministries that have overlapping responsibilities for maintaining civil security. Often, the
  threshold for transitioning law enforcement from military to police oversight depends on the level of
  violence. This threshold serves as a quantifiable measure of effectiveness for military or civilian security
  sector efforts. The goal is to reduce violence to levels that host-nation police can manage, not to eradicate
  violence completely.
  Developing Security Forces
  1-92. Security force assistance is the Department of Defense activities that contribute to unified action by
  the US Government to support the development of the capacity and capability of foreign security forces
  and their supporting institutions (JP 3-22). The development of capability and capacity is integral to
  successful stability missions and extends to all security forces: military forces, police forces, border forces,
  and other paramilitary organizations. Development applies to all levels of government within the host
  nation as well as to other local and regional forces. DOD and other partners help the host nation develop
  forces that will be able to operate across the range of military operations. Such forces can combat internal
  threats such as insurgency, subversion, and lawlessness; defend against external threats; or serve as
  coalition partners in other geographic locations. Partners conducting security force assistance develop