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 three 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, and the Office succeeded to maintain the amount of resources devoted to police assistance. 2011 saw three international police advisers working within the Pol-Mil unit with focus on the community policing project. Police advisers ended their work in the regions. In the future they will monitor the activities from the Office in Baku. Community Policing Consistent with the OSCE visits conducted at the end of 2010 and following consultations with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Office developed a project that aimed at facilitating the effective introduction of modern community policing practices by three Community Policing Advisers of the Office in ten project sites (Ganja, Gazakh, Guba, Khachmaz, Mingechevir, Narimanov district of Baku, Shabran, Shirvan, TarTar, and Yevlakh) of Azerbaijan. Throughout the year, activities included regular meetings and a number of initiatives of the OSCE Community Policing Advisers with the police leadership, police officers, other municipal authorities, school teachers and children, and various sections of civil society, convening, for instance in Community Advisory Groups (CAGs). The school policing component of community policing introduces local neighbourhood Police into the schools, and allows for presentations by Police on the dangers of drug usage, personal and family security, and traffic and general safety. On 13 January, the Office met with the Head of the Public Order Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR) and the Head of Nakhchivan City Police Department. Participants at the meeting discussed the results of community policing activities and possible future projects. This was the final meeting before the conclusion of the resident Community Policing Police Adviser’s tenure in NAR upon the request conveyed by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Autonomous Republic on 13 December 2010. From 20-27 February, the Office facilitated a study visit of five senior Azerbaijani police officers to Germany. The Office organized this visit in co-operation with the Ministry of Interior of the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt of Germany. The representatives of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs received extensive briefings on the structure of the police service and criminal prevention facilities in the city of Magdeburg. The participants also met with their respective counterparts and learned about the implementation of community policing principles in Germany. During the visit, the delegation’s interest focused 83