OSCE Presence trains Albanian police on diversity, hate crimes, domestic violence

Forty police officers, who completed a training programme on diversity, hate crimes and domestic violence, collected their certificates in a ceremony on 23 March 2015 in Tirana. The event, hosted by the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Dutch Embassy, was attended by the Head of the Presence, Ambassador Florian Raunig, Dutch Ambassador Dewi van de Weerd, and General Director of the Albanian Police Artan Didi.

“Security and law-enforcement agencies must be professional, accountable and fully respectful of human rights,” said Raunig as he presented the certificates. “They should reflect the diversity of society and be designed to meet the needs of all segments of the population, including minorities.”

Raunig noted that the training aimed to provide the police with the appropriate tools to act professionally when dealing with these matters. “This is what makes a good police officer who gains the trust of the community.”

Dutch Ambassador Dewi van de Weerd said: “Dealing with gender-based crimes requires a certain level of gender sensitivity, knowledge and skills. It is crucial that the police is adequately trained and in possession of the necessary skills to respond, investigate and properly manage cases of gender violence and trafficking.”

This is the third year that the Presence in Albania has delivered a training course in this field. According to the General Police Director, Artan Didi, results have started to show with an increase of people filing police reports and of those who are being put under police protection. Didi said that the police officers’ education and training were necessary so that the police are more professional and gain the trust and support of citizens. He considered the OSCE Presence to be a strategic partner for the Albanian police.

The training course was financially supported by the Dutch government. The OSCE Presence will continue delivering the same training course in different regions of Albania in 2015, with a total of 120 police officers taking part.