Albanian state police to train colleagues in Afghanistan following course supported by U.S. training programme, OSCE Presence

TIRANA, 25 February 2011 – Albanian police instructors today completed an OSCE-supported course that will enable them to travel to Afghanistan this summer to train Afghan police in basic policing techniques.

The United States' International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program, the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Albanian Police Development Centre organized the one-week course for 17 police instructors, held in Tirana.

“The deployment of Albanian State Police instructors to a challenging assignment like Afghanistan clearly marks a milestone for the Albanian State Police and indicates its professionalism and capacity,” the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, said at today’s event, which was also attended by Interior Minister Lulzim Basha.

U.S. Consul Lyra Carr said: “Five of today’s graduates will be selected to continue further training with NATO and the American military. Afterwards, they will train Afghan police in an eight-week basic course. I anticipate these trainers will proudly represent their nation and their profession.”

Also today, 23 members of the Interior Ministry's Internal Control Service completed a one-month training course on investigation. That course was the third of its kind. A fourth course in April 2011 will train the last of the 80 Internal Control Service officers.