SOUTH CAUCASUS 4.8 The OSCE Office in Baku Background The Police Assistance Programme (PAP) for Azerbaijan is based upon a needs assessment conducted by the SPMU in 2003. The assessment had identified four main areas of policing that required international support: the development of a community policing model; a review of the curriculum at the Centre for Police Induction Training; the introduction of best practicebased teaching methods; and the development and introduction of a modern curriculum for traffic police training. Since the initial introduction of the PAP, further activities, programmes and projects have been implemented, addressing organized crime, counter-terrorism, human trafficking and cyber security/cybercrime. In 2012, the Office continued its police-related activities in the community policing project sites in Mingechevir and Shabran, and expanded its activities related to organized crime, counter-terrorism, human trafficking and cyber security. In the second half of 2012, the Office phased out from its Community Policing Project, which had started in 2006, and handed over full implementation responsibility to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Nevertheless, the Office agreed with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to continue ad hoc visits to ensure the appropriate application of the project principles. Following the restructuring in the OSCE Secretariat, the Office revised the terms of reference of one of its police adviser’s positions to transform it into a full-time position for developing and implementing projects pertaining to transnational threats. 2012 saw increased activities in support of the Government’s implementation of the CoE’s Cyber Crime Convention, which Azerbaijan joined in 2010. This paved the way for the Office’s development of an action plan to counter cybercrime. Community Policing From 10-12 January, the Office visited the police leadership in the cities of Ganja, Mingechevir, and Shabran. During these meetings, the Office met with the Chiefs of Police and other officials to review the Office’s support to community policing activities and to discuss the Office’s support during 2012. The police officials particularly noted that the Office’s support to TV and media campaigns had been very helpful in achieving good communication between the police and communities, and hoped that the Office would be able to continue this kind of support. On 26 March, the Office visited Mingechevir to meet the Chief of Police and to inspect the Office’s activities, particularly in community policing. The Chief of Police gave a briefing about ongoing community policing activities and mentioned that police officers continued to organize school visits and community-advisory group meetings. From 27-28 March, the Office visited the cities of Ganja and Sheki to meet the local Governors and Police Chiefs, to inspect the Office’s activities, particularly in community policing and to visit the Legal Resource Centres. During these visits, the Office met with the Deputy Chief of Police in Ganja and the Chief of Police in Sheki and discussed progress and results of the community policing activities. The Office highlighted the importance of 110