Annual Police Experts Meeting in Austria

The Annual Police Experts Meeting (APEM) on "Improving the Role of the OSCE in Police-related Activities: Experiences and Lessons Learned", which was organized by the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Units, was conducted from 24 to 25 October 2013 in Hofburg Conference Centre, in Vienna.

This year, the Republic of Tajikistan was represented by the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Major General Nurillo Oripov and the Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan, Police Reform National Coordinator, Colonel Zumrad Solieva. The OSCE Office in Tajikistan was represented by the Head of Political and Military Department, Mr. Alastair Livingston, Counter Terrorism and Police Advisor, Mr. Ulf Billving, Police Reform National Liaison Officer, Mr. Mahmadiev Khaydar and Police Issues Project Coordinator, Mr. Dorin Fazli.

It should be noted that the annual meeting is held in accordance with the Ministerial Council Decision No.9, MC(9). DEC/9, Police-Related Activities, Ninth Ministerial Council Meeting, held on 4 December 2001, and with the PC Decision/1049 "The OSCE Strategic Framework for Police-related Activities." The APEM provides experts a platform on current topics of both regional and international level.

Following the adoption of PC.DEC/1049 in July 2012, a meeting of experts from relevant ministries and agencies from the participating States, as well as representatives of international and regional organizations will further discuss the OSCE role in assisting the law enforcement agencies in addressing threats posed by criminal activities. The aim will be to facilitate cooperation, both at international and national levels and to promote and develop effective and sustainable police reform programs in OSCE participating States.

The purpose of the 2013 APEM was to provide a platform for dialogue, where the OSCE participating States and international partner organizations shared their experiences and best practices in the implementation of Community Policing while conducting police reform with the aim to strengthen safety and security in the participating States.

Welcoming remarks were made by the Chairperson of OSCE Permanent Council, H.E. Ambassador Ihor Prokopchuk, OSCE Secretary General, H.E. Lamberto Zannier and Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Mr. Volodymyr Berezhan.

During the discussions and the presentations of the APEM participants, the experts from participating States have had an opportunity to express their views on the topics of each of the sessions.

The APEM plenary sessions were focused on the following:

- exchange of experiences amongst experts;

- best practices in the strategic planning and implementation of community policing;

- crime prevention at the legislative, strategic, procedural, organizational and training level.

During the first APEM session, the Norms and Standards guiding Police Reform and Community-based Policing as a key tool of crime prevention were considered.  

The Police service that enjoys public support and reinforces the security can positively impact on the development. Moreover, the police reform through the community policing became a key tool while conflict resolution in the OSCE area.

The OSCE Community Policing concept, as a tool for police reform, emphasizes the importance of a precise philosophy, a thoroughly adjusted plan and a well-managed process to achieve it.

Donors and international organizations are increasingly involved in the police reform process. It is crucial to understand what is required for the effective implementation of the police reform.

An approach based on the community policing is aimed both at the police reforming and at the improvement of their social image. It is not limited only by solution of the crime problems, but also envisages the community policing to address the problems of citizens. The development will be facilitated and the safety will be increased if the successful police reform implementation is provided. A minimum level of order and political commitments are also needed, in addition to a well-planned strategy for the reform implementation. International organizations should coordinate their work based on a common understanding of goals.

The presentations on the National Police Reform Frameworks, Strategies and Capacities were made during the second session, on the 25^th of October 2013. The participants, experts from the police services, were invited to discuss possible measures and forms of assistance to participating States that could be provided by the OSCE executive structures and institutions, in particular in close cooperation with the UNODC. The assistance is provided with a view of upholding the rule of law, ensuring respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, improving the functioning of law enforcement systems, including strengthening, when necessary, the relevant national legislation.

Major General Oripov Nurillo and Counter Terrorism and Police Advisor of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, Mr. Ulf Billving, who made speeches, welcomed the participants and informed about the undertaken measures by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan and the OSCE Office in Tajikistan in the process of police reform implementation.

Colonel Zumrad Solieva gave a presentation on police reform in Tajikistan, focusing in detail on Police Reform Strategy and the Draft Police Reform Program and Plan for its implementation.

International, national and local crime prevention frameworks, strategies and capacities, management and coordination of crime prevention were discussed at the third session.

The most effective method of reducing crime in a community is preventing it from happening in the first place. Although not often the subject of front-page news, crime prevention methods are an effective, cost-saving measure that improves quality of life for all, and contributes to the overall wellbeing. From a policing perspective, crime prevention cannot be accomplished solely through law enforcement agencies. In order to truly affect crime, community members, social groups, businesses and governments must be able to identify crime trends, be educated in prevention strategies, and be prepared to apply overall best practices - together.

Participants of the APEM were requested to draw up conclusions and recommendations, at the fourth session, on how to improve police reform efforts amongst participating States and on how to improve the collaboration between police services and other law-enforcement agencies in the OSCE area. Then the OSCE Coordinator of Activities, in close cooperation with the moderators of the four sessions, presented the conclusions and recommendations of the meeting to address transnational threats to all participants.

The experience and good practices from the participating States and international organizations-partners in the implementation of the Community Policing during the police reform were collected. The collection of best practices will result in the fact that the participating States will improve crime prevention and come to a unified approach.