UNMIK
Police is prepared to absorb KPS into its field training. Since the
initial training course is short, the field - training component is
vital to achieving the goal of a viable, professional and
politically independent KPS. The KPS trainees and provisional
officers serve as an integral part of UNMIK Police until they are
assessed to be sufficiently trained and capable to conduct their
police duties independently. Promising trainees in the program are
already being identified for specialized and management training.
The
KPS is the only functioning multi-ethnic public service institution
in Kosovo. Tremendous efforts have been made to ensure fair
representation of all minority groups in Kosovo, including Serbs. As
of 30 Jul 2000 over 1300 local police officers representing all of
Kosovo's communities have so far graduated from the police school.
Kosovo
Police Service School
(
source: Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe )
Mandate
The OSCE training mandate is to develop and deliver democratically
oriented, basic police training for approximately 3500 locally
recruited students within the next 16 months. In addition, the OSCE
has developed and will deliver a Field Training Officer Course to a
necessary number of UNMIK Police Officers. Further, democratically
oriented supervisory and management police training courses will be
held for approximately 700 officers selected from the KPS.
Recruits
Police
officer candidates must meet the following minimum qualifications:
-
At
least 25 years of age;
-
Completed
high school education;
-
Uncorrected
vision of 20/25 (or correctable to 20/25);
-
Ability
to read, write and understand Albanian and Serbian languages;
-
Demonstrate
willingness to work with all ethnic groups;
-
Demonstrate
willingness to follow rule of law and protect human rights of
all people, regardless of ethnicity, and be intolerant of ethnic
violence;
-
Have
sufficient intellect, stability and strength of character to
learn, apply and reinforce law enforcement techniques and
concepts in the context of principles of democratic and
community-oriented policing and internationally recognized human
rights standards;
-
Be
able to read, analyze and apply laws relevant to the Kosovo
Police Service organization, management, operations and problem
solution;
-
Absence
of physical or mental disabilities which would preclude the
performance of the previously listed essential functions;
-
No
substantiated history of war crimes or criminal conduct
(excluding minor traffic violations, juvenile offences or
political crimes), and
-
Be
able to lawfully operate a motor vehicle.
The applicants will undergo oral interviews,
medical and psychological examination, physical agility evaluation,
and background investigations.
Basic Police Training Course
The students undergo traditional basic police training instruction
framed within the philosophies/principles of democratic policing and
human rights. Classes include crime investigation; defense tactics;
democratic policing, in which loyalty towards the democratic legal
order is the focus; legal affairs; police patrol duties; use of
firearms; police skills, including first-aid, conflict intervention
and handling of refugees; forensics and evidence and traffic
control. The current basic training course consists of 308 actual
training hours; 34 hours per week over a 9-week period. This
training is followed by 19 weeks of field training with an UNMIK
police officer, and an additional 80 hours of advanced classroom
training provided by the KPSS. The training is conducted in English
and translated to Albanian and Serbian. Having successfully
completed the three phases of instruction, the Kosovar police
officer is eligible for certification and independent assignment.
School Location:
The Basic Police Training Course is conducted on the premises of the
Kosovo Police Service School in Vushtrri/Vucitrn, 25 km north of
Pristina. The students are housed and fed at the school for the
duration nine-week basic training program.
Instructors:
The School is currently staffed by more than 150 international
police instructors and support staff assisted by Kosovar experts..
Uniform:
While receiving instruction at the school, OSCE provides the
students with the necessary training equipment and a training
uniform. Upon graduation from the basic course and prior to
beginning their field training, the officers are issued their
official Kosovo Police Service uniforms. These uniforms have been
donated by the Danish Government and consist of a light-blue shirt,
navy-blue trousers, navy-blue jacket with white reflection straps
and a blue cap. The uniform has the insignia of the Kosovo Police
Service in English on the arm
Classes and Students:
The First course at the Kosovo
Police Service School was comprised of 176 recruits ( 17 minorities
and 20 per cent women ) who graduated on October 16, 1999.
The Second police course started
a nine-week course on 29 November. Of the 178 students, 28 are
Kosovo Serbs, 14 are other minorities and 17 per cent are women. The
second class has been graduated on February 19, 2000.
The Third class started on
February 21, 2000 and consisted of 250 students. There were 217
Albanian, 22 Serbs and 11 other minorities and 25 per cent were
women. The third class has been graduated on April 22, 2000.
The Fourth class began at the
Kosovo Police Service School in Vucitrn on 27 March, one month
before the scheduled graduation of the third class. The class
of 221 students, includes 31 women, 11 Serbs and four other
minorities graduated on 20 May 2000. It was the first time that two
classes of recruits were attending the OSCE-run school
simultaneously.
The Fifth course started on 24
April 2000, ended on 19 June 2000 and consisted of 279 students.
There were 265 Albanian, 11 Serbs, 2 Bosniak, 1 Turkish in the
group. 29 women has been graduaded.
The Sixth class started on 22
May 2000. The largest class to date comprises 260 Albanian, 15
Serbs, 15 Turkish, 12 Muslim Slavs, 2 Bosniaks, 2 Goran, 1
Roma and two representing other ethnic groups. Of the group, 49 are
women. The six class has been graduated on 15 July 2000.
On 18 July 2000, the first seventeen Supervisor
Pool Candidates has been graduated. They have
completed 100 hours of supervisor training over 12 days. The group
consisted of 16 men and 1 woman, all of whom are Albanian, came from
the first and second basic training courses.
The Seventh course started on 17
June 2000. and comprised 318 officers: 276 Kosovo Albanian ( of
which 67 are women), 2 Bosniaks, 3 Gorani, 3 muslim Slav, 26 Kosovo
Serbs ( two women), 8 Kosovo Turks. The seventh class has been
graduated on 12 August 2000.
Class Eight began their
training on 24 July 2000. There are 244 Albanians, 20 Serbs, 20
other minorities and 53 women in the class. Class eight is currently
mid-way through the training. The next course is due to begin on 21
Aug 2000.
Tatal cadets graduated up to the end of July 2000: 1384. Out
of this there are: 1160 men, 224 women. Ethnic breakdown: 1223
(88.3%) Albanians, 86 (6.2%) Serbs, 32 Turkish, 4 Romas, 16 Bosnians,
16 Muslim Slavs, 3 Gorans, 4 others.
UNMIK goal is to provide basic academy training to 4000 KPS officers
by the end of January 2001.
UNMIK
Police Field Training Programme
Purpose and Scope
The field-training and evaluation program is designed to help the
recruit officer make the transition from the classroom environment
of the police school to the practical application of core policing
skills while performing the core tasks listed into six broad areas
of coverage: Patrolling, Investigating, Arresting, Incidents
and disputes, Traffic, Police station duties. The Field Training
Program will be applicable to all graduates of the KPS Police
School.
Procedure
Upon successful completion of the KPS Police School each candidate
shall be assigned to a police station to begin their field training.
Each candidate will be assigned a Field Training Officer (FTO) who
will focus on training and developing the candidate's skills. The
FTO shall be an experienced international police officer that
consistently demonstrates the appropriate knowledge, understanding,
skills, attitude and behavior to be a good role model. The role of
the FTO is to support and supervise the candidate in order to
develop a standard of policing that will eventually enable the
candidate to patrol independently.
Levels
The entire FTO program will last for a period of three years and
will include four levels:
-
Candidate Level 1 - 19 weeks field training and
service area rotations
-
Candidate Level 2 - service area rotations and
six additional months
-
Candidate Level 3 - from one year through year
two
-
Certifiable Police Officer - year two through 36
months
During the entire field training program, the
candidates will be provided with InService classes by qualified
instructors on a regular and continuous basis.
Candidates Evaluation Process
When evaluating all probationary KPS officers the FTOs will use the
same standards
Candidates Level 1 will be evaluated on a daily and bi-monthly
basis. For this purpose FTOs will fill out the Daily Observation
Report (DORs), which is the form that wilt be used to record the
daily performance of all candidates. DORs will be completed at the
end of each shift by the FTO and the candidate. It is an evaluation
of the recruit's performance for that day. Supporting documentation
should be attached to it. The purpose of this record is to highlight
and monitor developmental and positive performance of the candidate.
At the end of each two-week period the Bi-Monthly Evaluation will be
made. It will indicate the candidate's progress in acquiring the
policing core skills and abilities.
Candidates Level 2 will be evaluated once a month. The Monthly
Evaluation Report will cover the candidate's level of understanding
and proficiency when performing the core tasks.
Candidates Level 3 will be evaluated on a quarterly basis. The
Quarterly Evaluation Report will consolidate their progress in
performing police duties and indicate the level of their readiness
to work independently.
Certifiable Police Officers will be evaluated on a quarterly basis
throughout the term of the program. The Quarterly Evaluation Report
will examine the officers overall police skills and pay particular
attention to any area of specialty and assess the officers ability
to perform the duties associated with a given job.
After completion of the entire Field Training Program the final
assessment of each candidate will be made which will contain the
conclusion whether the candidate is to be certified for police work
or not. During the course of Field Training candidates will be
allowed to apply and compete for management or specialized
positions. Candidates will be identified and selected on a
competitive basis.
