OSCE Mission to Skopje sets up police service training centres

SKOPJE, 9 November 2009 - The Head of the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Jose Luis Herrero, and Interior Minister Gordana Jankullovska opened a regional police training centre refurbished with OSCE support in a ceremony on Saturday, 7 November.

The centre in Strumica was one of eight police training centres throughout the country that will be better equipped as part of an OSCE-supported project.

The project will help improve, in-house education of the police by applying modern training standards with a special emphasis on community policing.

"This project will enhance the capacity of the Interior Ministry to carry out effective policing in accordance with the democratic standards of the OSCE," said Ambassador Jose Luis Herrero.

Jankullovska added: "The application of modern standards in the police training in line with European and international practices will improve institution-building and contribute to the police reform process."

A total of 8,000 officers will be trained under the project in Strumica and other regional centres, located in Skopje, Bitola, Kumanovo, Ohrid, Shtip, Tetovo and Veles.