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When Indonesian forces fled from East Timor in 1999 they had not left any institution or organization in the country functional and as a result of this widespread turbulence started in the country when Indonesian forces left it. To put a stop to internal unrest and help tighten security in the area, the UN decided to build up an East Timor police organization before granting the country republic status. As such, the first step towards developing a new republican nation of East Timor was to build a strong and reliable police force for the country. Steps towards building an impartial East Timor police force began in 2000 when the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor started offering basic training to the forces.
The East Timor police service became an official part of the administration of East Timor on August 10, 2001 and started serving the country alongside the U.N. Civilian Police. After the country of East Timor was awarded civilian status, did the East Timor police adopt the name of Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste or PNTL. The PNTL worked in co-operation with the PNTL for over 2 full years before it was finally awarded the status of independently protecting the country's security. U.N. Civilian police retreated from Timor Leste after a special agreement signed on May 20, 2002. 10th December, 2003 marks the official date on which the PNTL assumed the day-to-day security service of the country. However, the present problem plaguing the East Timor government, especially its police system, are the inhuman atrocities that the PNTL carry out on detainees and the situation has reached to such a level that the Human Rights departments around the world are expressing alarm over the issue.
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