The creation or reestablishment of a host nation police force, post-conflict, allows an intervening force to transition governance to home country rule. The US Department of Defense has demonstrated that it would rather other government departments and agencies, not the US Army, take on this task in the absence of a functioning host nation government. Data from the case studies of US and international efforts in Germany, Kosovo, and Iraq point to four key principles to observe when planning the restoration of public order in post-conflict environments. Assessing and understanding the security situation help planners decide whether to reform the existing police organization or create an entirely new one. Intervening police forces, civilian or military, must have sufficient authority to maintain or reestablish a safe and secure environment. Planners must mitigate the enforcement gap by rapidly deploying law enforcement professionals with the capabilities to maintain or reestablish law and order in a post-conflict environment. Finally, planners must plan for building the capacity of the newly formed force. These steps allow planners to generate an environment for the creation of a viable host nation police force. The decision to recreate or reestablish a police force is political. Providing thorough analyses and recommendations to decision-makers is the job of the strategic planner. The data and principles offered herein will assist strategic planners when planning for future host nation police forces.

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