A
new Police Commissioner Christopher Albiston took up his
appointment on 11 January 2001.
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"I am very proud to
lead the ethnic police which consist of UNMIK international
police and also KPS," said a new UNMIK Police Commissioner
Christopher Albiston on Monday 22 January, on his first presence
before the media.
A new Police Commissioner arrived to take up his appointment on
11 January, replacing Sven Frederickssen of Denmark. Mr.
Albiston is 47 years-old, married with four children. He began
his police career with the Metropolitan Police in London in
1975, rising to the rank of Detective Chief Inspector. He moved
to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1989 and now commands the
Northern Division of the RUC. He brings 25 years of varied
police experience to the post of Commissioner.
The Commissioner underlined the role of people of Kosovo in
building their modern society. He was aware about the fact that
everyone in Kosovo and everyone in international police would
like to see some very quick results. However, the reality is, if
the police are to tackle serious crime operating in a criminal
justice system, which requires a police and prosecutors to
produce evidence, then quick results are probably not very
likely. This is a long-term process and any development in this
direction will depend not so much on Police as on the people of
Kosovo. He invited Kosovars to co-operate with the UNMIK police,
in reporting crimes, in reporting information, and in being
prepared to participate in criminal justice system as a whole,
by providing the evidence which will help to convict those who
are committing crimes against their society.
The
Commissioner, accompanied by UNMIK Police spokesman,
answering media questions.
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Commenting crime level and
its character the Commissioner said that this is not acceptable
to have the level of crime orchestrated for political purposes.
To intimidate that is not the way that the people of Kosovo wish
their society to operate and that is not the way that the police
wish to see society operating. Society should be free for a
expression of different political opinions.
He went on saying: "The correct level for political
violence is zero, that is not the level we have achieved. The
police will be making every efforts to provide security for
people who are threaten by ethnic related crime or by crime
which has more to do with struggles between different political
fractions. We have a program of police patrols, of military
patrols and joint police and military patrols in those places
and at those times when we are going to be most effective in
preventing of politically related violence."
The Commissioner stressed the important role of KPS. Most crime
in Kosovo, like most crime in another societies, is local crime
committed by local people and therefore is most suitable to be
dealt with by local police. However, all police services have to
develop their skills, their competencies, as they go alone.
Therefore, there is an embryo plan in existence, for further
developing the skills profile, and the areas of responsibility
for the KPS. The plan will be implemented as soon as possible
but dependant on the operational conditions.
Mr. Albiston said that new initiatives have been taken to place
the police in a stronger position to tackle some of the
criminals at the top-end of the spectrum of crime. He ensured
that the UNMIK police will be as effective as it can be with
resources, people and information they have.
But again, the role of Kosovars is a main factor. "Eight
thousands UNMIK police, both international and KPS, even with
the help of over forty thousands KFOR troops cannot dictate to a
society of nearly two million people how they will behave,"
he said. If people are going to talk to police and give them
information, they can make better use of the resources which
they have.
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