OSCE Mission to Skopje continues police training

Human rights are key

The training curriculum is based on European policing and international human rights standards, and covers a wide variety of skills required for policing in a democratic society. The course, which was developed in close co-operation with the Ministry of Interior, includes 48 distinct academic lessons as well as firearms and defensive tactics instruction.

Lessons include policing in democracy, human rights, ethics, policing in a multi-ethic society, domestic violence awareness and gender, etc. International human rights standards are at the core of the instruction, both in the classroom and in practical exercises.

Intensive police education

Under the Ohrid Framework Agreement, the OSCE was asked to monitor the recruitment and selection process of new police cadets. To be selected for the training programme, candidates must have completed their fourth degree of secondary school, be 18 to 25 years of age and be a citizen of the country. They must be mentally and physically fit, have strong moral character and demonstrate a commitment to protecting the population as a whole.

New cadets entering the Police Academy undergo 420 hours of intensive basic police education under the guidance of OSCE and Senior national police instructors. Lessons are presented in Macedonian and/or English interpreted into Macedonian.

A community-based approach to policing

During the first three police training courses held in 2002, 526 students were trained, 439 men and 87 women. Among these were 63% ethnic Albanians, 19% ethnic Macedonians, 6% ethnic Roma and 7% ethnic Turks.

The fourth police training course was successfully launched on 10 February 2003 at the Police Academy in Idrizevo, located just outside Skopje. Out of the 309 students who started the 12 week basic training programme, nearly 69% are ethnic Albanian, while 16% are ethnic Macedonian.

"As future police officers in a democratic police service you must guarantee the rights of all people, maintain an environment where they are safe and secure and continuously provide quality services to the people they serve, so you can build a solid foundation of trust," said Bart D'Hooge, Director of the Police Development Unit of the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje.