OSCE donates specialized vehicles and equipment to strengthen Moldovan Border Police

The OSCE provided specialized vehicles and equipment to the General Inspectorate of Border Police during a ceremony held on 3 October 2024 in Chisinau, Moldova. This was done in support of Moldova’s efforts in preventing and addressing transnational organized crime.

The donation includes three K9 specialized vehicles, software, and Doculus Lumus magnifiers, used to check identification documents. These items will improve the Moldovan Border Police’s rapid response capabilities, identify advanced threat and risk analysis, and aid in the detection of forged documents at border crossing points.

"I am positive that the OSCE donation of specialized vehicles for the K9 Unit, software tools for the Risk Analysis Department, and magnifiers for first-line border officers will further support the Moldovan Border Police in effectively identifying and mitigating threats at the border," said Izabela Sylwia Hartmann, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova.

"The specialized vehicles and equipment will enable the Border Police to transport police service dogs efficiently and enhance their capacity to detect and prevent cross-border crimes," said Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Head of the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department. "Despite increasing challenges, the Moldovan Border Police has demonstrated commendable resilience and unwavering commitment, and we are here to support them in enhancing their operational capabilities."

"This donation represents a significant contribution to enhancing our operational capabilities to safeguard the borders of the Republic of Moldova," said Diana Salcuțan, Deputy Head of the General Inspectorate of Border Police. "We highly appreciate the OSCE's support in strengthening our ability to combat cross-border crimes and ensure the security and stability of our country and the wider region."

As part of its ongoing efforts, the OSCE will facilitate a study visit for the K9 Unit of the Moldovan Border Police to France in November 2024. Training cycles on detecting forged documents with a five-day train-the-trainers courses will also continue in January 2025.

These assets were donated as part of the “Support to the Law Enforcement Agencies in Moldova in Response to the Security Challenges in the Region” and the “Increasing Operational Awareness of Border Security and Management Officers to Detected Forged Documents and Impostors at border crossing points of the OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation” projects. These assets were funded through extra-budgetary assistance from the United States of America.