OSCE Mission concludes project to strengthen Serbian Police accountability
Accountability of the police service is a priority area for the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro. (FoNet Agency) Photo details
BELGRADE, 14 July 2004 - An eight-month OSCE project to train and equip the staff of the Inspector General's Office of the Serbian police was concluded in Belgrade today with the formal hand-over of technical equipment to the Interior Ministry.
The role of the Inspector General is to set professional standards and act as internal control over the police service.
Speaking at a press conference at the Serbian Interior Ministry, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, thanked Dutch Ambassador Barend van der Heijden for his Government's generous support for this important project.
"Accountability of the police service is a priority area for the OSCE," Massari said.
"Establishing an internal mechanism to uncover and deal with corruption among their own ranks is another large step forward to creating a modern, responsive police service."
Starting in October 2003, the project consisted of an assessment by French experts of the needs of the Inspector General's Office and several study visits by Serbian police officers to similar departments in Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.
Staff from the Inspector General's Office received training from the Bramshill Police College in the U.K. and Inspector General Vladimir Bozovic himself made a study visit to several U.K. police accountability institutions.
To mark the conclusion of the project, the Dutch Ambassador formally handed over computer equipment, worth 50,000 euros, donated by his Government, providing the Inspector General and his team with a secure 'stand alone' system that is crucial to ensure police service transparency and effectiveness.
The role of the Inspector General is to set professional standards and act as internal control over the police service.
Speaking at a press conference at the Serbian Interior Ministry, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, thanked Dutch Ambassador Barend van der Heijden for his Government's generous support for this important project.
"Accountability of the police service is a priority area for the OSCE," Massari said.
"Establishing an internal mechanism to uncover and deal with corruption among their own ranks is another large step forward to creating a modern, responsive police service."
Starting in October 2003, the project consisted of an assessment by French experts of the needs of the Inspector General's Office and several study visits by Serbian police officers to similar departments in Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.
Staff from the Inspector General's Office received training from the Bramshill Police College in the U.K. and Inspector General Vladimir Bozovic himself made a study visit to several U.K. police accountability institutions.
To mark the conclusion of the project, the Dutch Ambassador formally handed over computer equipment, worth 50,000 euros, donated by his Government, providing the Inspector General and his team with a secure 'stand alone' system that is crucial to ensure police service transparency and effectiveness.