ANALYZING THE IMPACT OF PEACE AGREEMENTS ON POLICE MISCONDUCT.

Do peace agreements have an effect on police misconduct? This thesis researches the impact of peace agreements on police misconduct in post-conflict settings, focusing specifically on the occurrence of police misconduct following the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and FARC-EP. The study aims to determine whether peace agreements can lead to a reduction in police misconduct due to their transformative potential in reshaping police practices towards a human rights-aligned framework. By employing a large-n quantitative analysis on an original dataset, this research examines the relationship between peace agreements and police misconduct through various regression models. Findings suggest that the implementation of peace agreements correlates with a reduction in police misconduct, supporting the hypothesis that such agreements extend beyond the formal ending of the conflict by catalyzing a realignment of policing practices towards a more human rights-aligned framework. I argue this transformation, combined with strengthened accountability and oversight mechanisms, results in a shift in police conduct. This study fills a critical gap in the literature on post-conflict settings and offers empirical evidence on the broader implications of peace agreements on state institutions, particularly policing bodies.