• Korean Security Journal
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• no.51
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• pp.317-334
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• 2017

The burden of addressing the damage and financial losses caused by disaster events falls primarily on local governments. Given this reality, preparing for disasters and assessing the effects of disaster management would be more effective if both were carried out at the local level. However, disaster management in South Korea is realized at the national level, revolving around the central government. The Ministry of Public Safety and Security, which was newly established after the sinking of MV Sewol, was criticized for failing to carrying out its role as a "disaster control tower" in dealing with the earthquakes near the city of Gyeongju in 2016. The criticism, as well as deep anxiety concerning the ministry's ability to effectively respond to disasters, means that there is a need for a practical alternative plan to the current method of dealing with disasters. As such, there is an increasing call to re-examine the role of the police force, which played an integral part in past disaster response efforts, in future disaster events. Among the various activities the police force performs, this study focused on one particular role and function of the police, namely community policing. Specifically, this study examined community policing within the context of local governments. The primary purpose of community policing is crime prevention. But the police must respond to citizens' expectations and desires that the police expand the scope of its role. Thus, to maximize public safety and order, the police must be actively engaged in conducting disaster response activities. Hence, this study concentrated on the measures, including community policing, that need to be taken to enable the police to respond rapidly and effectively to disaster events, thereby minimizing losses, and to contribute meaningfully to disaster recovery efforts. Because community policing requires public cooperation, community-oriented disaster response and disaster management are closely examined. This study basically seeks to expand the scope of community policing to strengthen disaster safety. Furthermore, this study aims to assert that disaster safety can be promoted by establishing a cooperation system between the police and private security; changing how the role of community policing in disaster response activities is perceived; increasing professional manpower and establishing a comprehensive and independent department dedicated to disaster-related matters; and merging consultative organizations into one organization. Additionally, this study states that an integrated CCTV platform and police cars on disaster prevention patrol duties would enhance the capability of the police to respond to disasters and perform their community policing activities.