High Commissioner on National Minorities

In some states, a lack of interaction and co-operation between police and people belonging to national minorities can cause negative reactions among minority communities and even lead to conflict. In contrast, other states make the police service more representative of the community it serves and enhance communication between police and national minorities. This can strengthen inter-ethnic relations and increase the operational effectiveness of the police.

To assist states in developing mechanisms to improve the interaction between police and minorities, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) analysed international standards and practices in the area of policing with the support of international experts to develop these recommendations, which cover general principles, recruitment and representation, training and personal development, engaging with ethnic communities, operational practices, and prevention and management of conflict. The HCNM Recommendations are accompanied by a set of explanatory notes.

They are available to download in PDF format or you can order a print copy using the link below. For different language versions, please click the relevant link at the top of the page. Please note that the following versions are only available in PDF format and cannot be ordered in print: Croatian, French and Turkish.

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