OSCE Centre helps Kyrgyz police learn about democratic means to maintain public order

BISHKEK, 15 May 2008 - Helping police officers learn how they can maintain public order with democratic methods was the purpose of OSCE-organized courses offered to more than 250 police officers, the last of which concluded today.

Police officers from the Talas, Osh, Jalalabad and Batken provinces took part in the courses, and 30 trainees were certified as instructors.

"The courses were important in that they emphasized democratic international standards, including principles of neutrality and proportionality," said Knut Dreyer, OSCE Police Reform Adviser.

Police Academy trainer Major Rinat Maksutov said the courses aimed to raise awareness of the Interior Ministry's new public order management strategy.

Course participant Kural Djumabaev, the Deputy Head of Internal Troops service of the Batken province, said he hoped similar training courses would be offered in the future.

"It is the first time we had this kind of training. It was quite useful, organized properly and easy to understand," he said.

The courses were part of an OSCE-supported project carried out in co-operation with the Kyrgyz Police Academy that aims to enhance training opportunities in democratic public order management. Similar training courses for police officers from the northern provinces will take place in September.