OSCE Centre helps Kyrgyz police learn about democratic methods to maintain public order

BISHKEK, 12 June 2009 - About 250 Kyrgyz police officers will conclude a week-long OSCE-funded training course tomorrow that focused on how public order can be maintained with democratic methods. 

"Partcipants learnt how to avoid potential hostility by rioters with minimum aggression and respect for the right to public assembly," said Evgeny Cherenkov, Manager of OSCE Police Reform Programme at the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

Aitbek Shamenov, a participant and Chief of Police of the Public Safety Unit of Issyk-Kul province, added: "This seminar improved the police's capacity to prevent public disorder and conflict situations. It promoted more efficient police behaviour during extraordinary situations."

The participants were from the Talas, Osh, Jalal-Abad, Batken, Naryn and Issyk-Kul provinces. About 20 of them were certified as trainers.

The OSCE Centre supported the training course as part of the OSCE Police Reform Programme, which aims to strengthen the institutional, operational and educational capacities of the Kyrgyz police.