OSCE introduces concept of dialogue policing to national police service in North Macedonia

In several European countries, dialogue policing, with its emphasis on the importance of oral and informal communication between the police and event organizers, has proven effective in preventing confrontations and violence during public gatherings, such as demonstrations or football matches. On 2 November 2021, the OSCE Mission to Skopje delivered a workshop to introduce the concept to the senior police management of North Macedonia.

“The openness and transparency of well-trained Dialogue Police Officers on the frontlines in mass gathering are critical to the country's continued improvement in public trust and confidence,” said Juraj Smolek, Head of the Mission’s Public Safety and Community Outreach Department, at the opening of the workshop.

“Dialogue creates an opportunity for an agreement that sets expectations for the behavior of the participants in the event, and what is more important, creates a relationship of trust,”  added Sasho Tasevski, Director of the Public Security Bureau.

“Certainly, this way of working must and should not restrict the right to freedom of assembly or public expression, and should guarantee the freedom and rights of citizens to a greater extent. The key benefits arising from this concept would certainly be: a guarantee of peaceful public gatherings and sports competitions, a reduced number of attacks on police officers, a smaller number of means of coercion used by police officers, and a reduced number of damages to the property of citizens,” said Tasevski.

He concluded that the concept of dialogue policing will be introduced to police officers throughout the country through an OSCE-supported training planned for next year.