Arsen Avakov: Twenty ideal district police departments in one and a half years and then - everywhere in Ukraine! (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
On April 27, 2017, the Ministry of Internal Affairs in partnership with the European Union launched a project called "Support to Police Reform in Ukraine" (SPRU). The project is funded from the state budget of Ukraine and donor support of European partners, that will provide 6 million euros. The SPRU is aimed at improving the police interaction with the public and at the first stage will be implemented on the basis of twenty pilot police departments in three regions of Ukraine. The project is a continuation of activity of the EU Advisory Mission to Ukraine (EUAM) and will be implemented within 18 months with participation of the Swedish police and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) with the support of the EUAM.
The presentation was attended by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Mr. Arsen Avakov, the EU Ambassador to Ukraine Mr. Hugues Mingarelli, the Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine Mr. Konstantin Bushuyev, the Head of the EU Advisory Mission Mr. Kyastusis Lanchinskas, the Swedish Ambassador to Ukraine Mr. Martin Hagström, the Deputy Head of the Department for Peacekeeping Operations and International Cooperation Development of Swedish police Ms. Anne-Sophie Jacobsson and the Head of UNOPS in Ukraine Mr. Armen Chobanyan.
"Today we are launching the project "Support to Police Reform in Ukraine", which will be implemented in three regions of Ukraine: Lviv, Kiev and Kharkiv. Twenty police departments will begin to work in a pilot mode on an experimental basis and it will cover the retraining of police officers and the material and technical re-equipment of the police station itself. The aim of the project is to increase the effectiveness of the police and to enhance trust from the public. Twenty police departments out of more than 700 in Ukraine - it is a very small part, but step by step we shall come close to the ideal model, from its visual to substantive component", - said Minister Arsen Avakov.
Twenty police departments in the Kiev, Kharkiv and Lviv regions were selected using the results of sociological studies that were conducted throughout Ukraine. Preference was given to the districts that already have participated in the EUAM partner projects.
The project "Support to Police Reform in Ukraine" provides for specialized trainings on interaction between police and society (420 police officers will be trained, 60 of them will become instructors), repair of police departments, provision of equipment (including individual protective gear and cars) and introduction of the Scandinavian model of public order protection aimed at preventing violence during mass events. The implementation of the project will be monitored by the Steering Committee consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, foreign partners and the public.
"The interaction of the police with society and the protection of public order and safety are chosen as the project priorities, since they are the main factors of transparent and effective police work. Observance of human rights should be the basis of the police work", - said Mr. Kyastusis Lanchinskas, the Head of the EU Advisory Mission.
Department of communication of MIA-Ukraine
