The New UN Police Identity
Since the United Nations Police were first deployed to a field mission in 1960, they have been identified as UN Police officers. For the first 45 years they were known as CIVPOL (Civilian Police), and in 2005 the name was changed to UNPOL (United Nations Police).
UN Police, by the nature of their profession and mandate, are recognized as police officers working under a UN mandate. In peace operations where the UN Police have an executive mandate, they are recognized as police and differentiated from other UN peacekeeping staff. Over the years, a number of identifying symbols were used in UN missions on vehicles and UNPOL offices. In 2009 – 2010, the Police Division of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as part of its work to further professionalize its police services, worked with the UN Department of Public Information to create a modified and standardized identity for United Nations Police. The internationally recognized acronym for UN Police is UNPOL.
The United Nations is publishing guidelines for the use of this standardized shield and is beginning the process of updating its visual identity in missions around the world.
