OSCE Mission to Skopje hosts regional workshop on policing in Roma and Sinti communities

SKOPJE, 13 June 2006 - Roma and police experts from the Balkans began a workshop in Skopje today to share best practices on policing in Roma and Sinti communities.

The two-day workshop brings together OSCE community policing experts, as well as Roma and human rights advisors and national police representatives from the Balkans.

The OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area, launched in December 2003 includes recommendations on policing.

"This workshop is an opportunity to gauge how the OSCE institutions and participating States in the Balkan region are progressing in implementing the Action Plan's recommendations," said Nicolae Gheorghe, Head of the Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues at the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

"This is launches a regional approach on exchanging methodologies and best practices," he added.

During the event, participants will present their own experiences and examine best practices in the following areas: recruitment, training and community policing.

"Most of the OSCE missions have had success in certain areas, but room for development remains," said Phillip Tolson, Head of the Police Development Unit at the OSCE Mission to Skopje. "For example, the Skopje Mission has noted an improvement in the recruitment of Roma police officers and has had positive experiences with community policing techniques. However, we are all still facing challenges and looking for ways to improve the situation."

The meeting aims to define specific methods and tools to be used by OSCE missions and the national police.

This regional workshop is hosted by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje under the auspices of the OSCE Strategic Police Matter Unit and the ODIHR.