This report provides information about police-related activities of the SPMU, as well as other cross-dimensional police-related activities of other thematic units in the Secretariat and OSCE Institutions. It also gives an overview of the capacity and institution building activities undertaken by the OSCE field operations in support of their respective host-State governments.
In 2009, the SPMU continued providing police-related support to the OSCE Secretary General and the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. The unit also responded to participating States’ requests for assistance in police reforms; and supported the OSCE field operations in the implementation of their mandates. Support of the field operations included, inter alia, assistance in screening and selecting new personnel, along with the provision of advice on the formulation and implementation of new projects.
The SPMU’s efforts in developing baseline police capacities of participating States and its support to policy development was underpinned by the development of a manual on Police and Roma and Sinti: Good Practices in Building Trust and Understanding, a project that was undertaken in close co-operation with the ODIHR Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues.Baseline police capacities were also promoted through the distribution of all SPMU key publications to the OSCE field operations, and by holding a regional workshop on Democratic Policing in Minsk.
SPMU training projects focused on providing assistance in curriculum development, and in facilitating and providing training in investigating Trafficking in Human Beings and in combating illegal drugs, the latter including training courses for Afghan law enforcement officers which were organised in close co-operation with participating States, Afghan authorities, other OSCE executive structures and the international community.
The SPMU was also very active in dealing with organised crime issues, organising and participating in a number of high-level meetings and workshops that focused on promoting regional co-operation in fighting transnational crime. SPMU thereby became a member of several cyber crime expert groups of other international organisations.
Utilizing and further enhancing its Policing Online Information System, the SPMU also continued serving as a main collection point and central repository for OSCE police-related institutional knowledge, providing the platform for sharing information resulting from OSCE activities, from local initiatives and from development work of other international organisations and agencies.