OSCE annual meeting of Police Academies Network explores role of training and education institutions in preventing excessive use of force by police
The 2020 OSCE Annual Meeting of the Police Academies Network (PAN), held on 27 November 2020, gathered over 50 participants and focused on how Police Academies can deliver training programmes that develop and strengthen sound attitudes among police in preventing excessive use of force, even in difficult and/or dangerous situations.
The event was held online for representatives of law enforcement education and training institutions in the OSCE participating States as well as representatives from partner international organizations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL). It was organized by the Transnational Threats Department’s Strategic Police Matters Unit (TNTD/SPMU).
Participants were welcomed by Florian Pema, Head of the Politico-Military Dimension at Albania’s 2020 OSCE Chairmanship; Andrea Huber, Head of the Human Rights Department at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR); and Guy Vinet, Head of TNTD/SPMU.
In his opening remarks, Pema said: “Police Academies have to make sure that their training and education lead to police officers that perform their duties in accordance with universally agreed standards of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Vinet emphasized that ethical thinking should remain prevalent for all police training activities and that police officers will react appropriately if they have embraced the core democratic principles and values guiding the police.
Discussions elaborated on how to ensure that all delivered training programmes contribute to further enhancing democratic and value-based policing.
The PAN was launched in 2018 to promote and support international police training and co-operation. Its aim is to promote police training co-operation and to share education and training curricula, modules, training material and expertise of law enforcement training institutions in the OSCE area.
The PAN is currently co-ordinated by Bjorn Tore Saltvik, Adviser on Police Reform in TNTD/SPMU. For enquiries, please contact: BjornTore.Saltvik@osce.org