Community Security As assistance and proposals would be provided to the councils under the community policing framework, the functions of the two bodies were complementary. The OSCE and the local authorities found that both the community policing approach and the councils were useful concepts, as they enabled citizens and representatives of governmental bodies to have direct communication with the main stakeholders on the local level. 3. Lessons learned Inter-ethnic dialogue and co-operation are crucial elements in building sustainable peace. Public safety and security forums established at the local level have had a very positive effect in that regard. In addition to contributing to the maintenance of public safety and security by facilitating trustful relations with citizens and the police, they also helped to establish and foster inter-ethnic co-operation and dialogue between communities. Public safety and security forums bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including ordinary citizens, community leaders, police, representatives of local institutions, and civil society actors, allowing them to discuss matters of common interest and jointly look for sensible solutions that are acceptable to all. In post-conflict settings, establishing such forums can be very challenging and requires patience and perseverance. However, the OSCE’s experience shows that it is possible to overcome the severe lack of trust between conflict-affected communities and their initial scepticism about the benefits of such endeavours. 42