OSCE Centre in Astana to co-organize series of community policing seminars
OSKEMEN, Kazakhstan, 24 August 2009 - The OSCE Centre in Astana, together with the International Kazakhstan Bureau of Human Rights and Rule of Law, launched the first of five training seminars today to strengthen the partnership between Kazakhstan's police officers and the populations they serve.
The two-day course in Oskemen in eastern Kazakhstan will be followed by training seminars in Aktau, Taraz, Shymkent and Kostanai, each gathering some 25 police officers and trainers with international experience in community policing programmes and practices.
"Our seminar will stress improving the quality of preventive police work, providing better public access to police authorities, including the public in identifying and addressing crime-related matters and helping to make residential areas safer," said Ambassador Alexandre Keltchewsky, the Head of the OSCE Centre, in a message to seminar participants.
Other topics that will be addressed during the seminars include maintaining a gender balance within the police force, handling domestic violence and greater protection for women, combating discrimination and protecting the rights of national minorities, recruiting volunteer public police assistants and strengthening co operation with religious and community organizations.
The project promotes principles consistent with the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit guidebook Good Practices in Building Police-Public Partnerships, and represents one of the OSCE Centre in Astana's efforts to improve community police practices in Kazakhstan.