OSCE Skopje Mission and Interior Ministry launch TV Campaign to boost police-community relations
(OSCE)Police officers Biljana Stankovska and Cvetanka Zatovska display diplomas awarded for completing an OSCE training course in community policing in Ohrid, 18 January 2004. (OSCE) Photo details
SKOPJE, 22 March 2004 - The Ministry of Interior and the OSCE Mission to Skopje today launched a nationwide TV campaign to promote co-operation between the police and the citizens, with a series of daily public information slots on national TV and 16 local stations.
The campaign, called Oblisku ("Take a closer look") is part of the Interior Ministry's initiative to promote community based policing in the country", said Marijana Kontevska, Ministry Spokesperson at today's launch press conference.
"Use of public information is a key element in this approach. It will bring the police closer to the citizens and helps to generate a climate of openness and understanding, which is vital to any police force's success, anywhere in the world."
The spots aim to provide helpful information to citizens as well as to throw a spotlight on the day-to-day functions of the police. The series will cover topics as diverse as traffic safety, home security, advice on counterfeit money and pick-pockets, as well as focusing on some of the regular duties of the police force, such as policing sporting events or the role of the police on election day.
"This project aims at presenting community policing to the general public in order to inform citizens of the implementation of democratic principles and international standards in police work and of the increased transparency and co-operation with the local communities in the former crisis region", said Radivoe Jovanovski, State Secretary at the Interior Ministry.
Sixty spots, each lasting 2 minutes 30 seconds, are to be produced over the next six months. They will be broadcast every day in both Macedonian and Albanian. The series is being funded by the Dutch Government and is being jointly produced by the Ministry, the OSCE Mission and Modus Productions.
"The media clips clearly demonstrate the potential of this project not only to communicate positive and tangible examples of community policing in action but also to deliver powerful community-policing and potentially, life-saving messages" said Carlos Pais, Head of the OSCE Mission.
The campaign, called Oblisku ("Take a closer look") is part of the Interior Ministry's initiative to promote community based policing in the country", said Marijana Kontevska, Ministry Spokesperson at today's launch press conference.
"Use of public information is a key element in this approach. It will bring the police closer to the citizens and helps to generate a climate of openness and understanding, which is vital to any police force's success, anywhere in the world."
The spots aim to provide helpful information to citizens as well as to throw a spotlight on the day-to-day functions of the police. The series will cover topics as diverse as traffic safety, home security, advice on counterfeit money and pick-pockets, as well as focusing on some of the regular duties of the police force, such as policing sporting events or the role of the police on election day.
"This project aims at presenting community policing to the general public in order to inform citizens of the implementation of democratic principles and international standards in police work and of the increased transparency and co-operation with the local communities in the former crisis region", said Radivoe Jovanovski, State Secretary at the Interior Ministry.
Sixty spots, each lasting 2 minutes 30 seconds, are to be produced over the next six months. They will be broadcast every day in both Macedonian and Albanian. The series is being funded by the Dutch Government and is being jointly produced by the Ministry, the OSCE Mission and Modus Productions.
"The media clips clearly demonstrate the potential of this project not only to communicate positive and tangible examples of community policing in action but also to deliver powerful community-policing and potentially, life-saving messages" said Carlos Pais, Head of the OSCE Mission.