Public Services: international institutions. Police officers should have a general understanding of the main players and their respective missions/causes

The impact the UN has had on UK public services are the following: peace-keeping, disaster relief, environmental concerns and conflict resolutions.

The European Union, EU, was created in 1957 although Great Britain did not join until 1973. It was put in place for similar reasons as the UN but on a smaller scale as it is only European countries that are involved. The EU has a number of functions, for example it is one of the largest providers of funds and humanitarian aid for developing countries, and they also deal in agriculture, fishing and immigration issues amongst other things. The EU was also created to increase trade opportunities between the nations of Europe. The founders of the EU are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. There are 27 member states of the EU. There are strict criteria that need to be met to join the EU, these are known as the ‘Copenhagen Criteria’ which includes having a free-market economy, a stable democracy and rule of the law and the acceptance of all EU laws and trading standards amongst many other things. Each member has to contribute funds and this is used to  their finance their activities. The impact the EU has on UK public services are anti-terror laws, terrorism and border control and the single currency.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO, was created on the 4th of April 1949 between 10 European and two North American nations that was dedicated to defending each other in the case of an attack from the Soviet Union which was very powerful at that time. Nowadays they are there to protect each other from any attack and an attack on one of them is seen as an attack on all of them. NATO has 28 Members in 1949 when it was formed it contained 12 members these being, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, The United Kingdom and The United States. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) promotes democratic views and tries to encourage meetings and collaboration on security to work trust between countries and attempts to prevent conflict. All members of NATO have committed themselves to looking after and developing their collective defence capabilities. Development of peaceful and friendly international relations is a must for the members of NATO.  NATO has the ability, if faced with a problem that needs military action, to take troops from any members’ armies. The impact that NATO has on UK public services are political and military force, peace keeping, policing roles and security issues.

The European court of human rights was created to protect the human rights and freedoms of individuals in EU member states. It was established in 1959, with its headquarters in Strasbourg France. “The European court of human rights was created to protect the human rights and freedoms of individuals in EU member states. It ensures that if a citizen has a legal complaint concerning a breach of human rights it can be heard by a European-wide court after all national alternatives have been exhausted “.

The World Bank created in 1956 is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for investment programs. The World Bank's goal is the reduction of poverty, all of its decisions must be guided by a commitment to promote foreign investment, international trade, and facilitate capital investment. The World Bank comprises of two institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).

International committee of the Red Cross, is a humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. The ICRC has a mandate to protect victims of international and internal armed conflicts. Such victims include war wounded, prisoners, refugees, civilians, and other non-combatants. The Red Cross first started in 1863, inspired by a Swiss businessman called Henry Dunant; he was horrified by the suffering and death at the battle of Solferino in 1859. He also established an agreement between countries the Geneva Convention, which was adopted by countries in 1864. Under the Geneva Convention, the Red Cross provides protection for military medical services and relief workers in armed conflicts. The official mission statement says that: "The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral, and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance." It also directs and coordinates international relief and works to promote and strengthen humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles. The central tasks of the Committee are the following:

• to monitor compliance of warring parties with the Geneva Conventions
• to organise nursing and care for those who are wounded on the battlefield
• to supervise the treatment of prisoners of war
• to help with the search for missing persons in an armed conflict
• to organise protection and care for civil populations
• to act as a neutral intermediary between warring parties

Greenpeace amnesty international

Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organisation with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Greenpeace promotes environmental protection. Greenpeace says its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity" and focuses its campaigning on worldwide issues such as global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling and anti-nuclear issues. Founded in 1971 they mainly focus on protests and petitions to stop environmental atrocities from taking place. Greenpeace uses direct action, lobbying and research to achieve its goals. 

Amnesty International is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation which was founded in London following the publication of the article "The Forgotten Prisoners" by Peter Benenson in 1961. Amnesty International promotes awareness of human rights and opposes specific abuses of human rights including prisoners of conscience, taking of hostages, use of torture and the death penalty. Amnesty draws attention to human rights abuses and campaigns for compliance with international and standards and it works to activate public opinion to put pressure on governments that let abuse take place.