OSCE Mission to Montenegro trains police officers on trafficking in human beings

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro and Ministry of Interior’s Department for Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings (THB), organized a series of training courses for heads of security centres and police officers from all police stations throughout Montenegro, from 5 to 8 October.

This course, held in Podgorica, Budva and Kolašin, for police officers from the Sector of Public Order and Peace, was the first that focused exclusively on combating trafficking in human beings. Around 20 heads of Montenegrin security centres and more than 70 police officers, primarily those patrolling the streets who are the first line of contact with trafficked victims, participated. The course examined differences between trafficking and smuggling and participants discussed principles of dealing with potential trafficked victims, including children and sex workers.

Opening the first workshop in Podgorica, Stephen Harmon, Mission’s Security and Co-operation Programme Manager, said he hoped “that these workshops would reinforce the national response to combatting trafficking and strengthen protection of victim’s rights.”

Nikola Terzić, adviser to the Minister of Interior and Head of the Coordination Body for THB Strategy implementation, stressed the importance of training police officers, given that they are often the first to come into contact with potential victims. “In our future work, we will raise the level of operational activity in combatting human trafficking to achieve better results in the fight against trafficking in human beings,” said Terzić.

The police professionalization and supporting the police as a professional, democratic, accountable and efficient service, trusted by the society, remains high on the Mission’s agenda.