(image: Seoul Metropolitan Government)
SEOUL, May 23 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government has stated that the city needs an autonomous police system similar to the independence the New York City Police Department (NYPD) has.
The city has been claiming that investigative authority on matters such as national security should be referred to the national police force, while all other issues should be handled by the local city police department.
City officials said that the current acting mayor of Seoul, Yoon Byeong-joon, met with Thomas Galati, the NYPD’s chief of intelligence, at Seoul City Hall on Monday to discuss such matters.
Prior to Galati’s visit, Seoul city officials headed to New York City as part of a field trip to the NYPD headquarters to get a better understanding about the force’s administrative system.
The federal government system in the U.S. is such that its local police departments are responsible for public peace-keeping services, while the nation’s federal police agency overlooks matters of terrorism, narcotics and national security.
The New York Police Department along with the LAPD has over 100 years of experience and history as a “localized” police force.
Galati has said that he will be able to use his work experience with the NYPD to help local police in Seoul establish a localized system.
Acting Mayor Yoon said that even though it’s been the city’s stance that Seoul should not have two separate police headquarters, the new localized system should not inconvenience the public or bring about confusion.
“The New York system will be applied to fit Seoul well by continuously learning about cases from the New York police system,” said Yoon.
A presidential committee overlooking the matter said that a localized police system will be implemented in 17 local districts by 2020.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
