4.3 Mission in Kosovo In 2015, the DSPS comprised mainly of 13 international and 26 national members of staff. It continued to utilize its internal resources to conduct many training courses and to provide its counterparts from the Kosovo Police (KP) and other public safety institutions with strategic and advisory assistance. Most of its Unified Budget and Extra Budgetary project activities consisted of specialized and advanced training courses, focusing on building the capacities of the KP and other public safety institutions to combat and prevent all forms of transnational threats, such as organized crime, cybercrime, economic crime, corruption, terrorism, and narcotics, as well as to enhance community policing and community safety efforts. The DSPS also contributed to the drafting of new strategies, as well as to the reviewing of several strategies and action plans that aim to enhance the security sector. Department of Human Rights and Communities The Human Rights and Security Section (HRSS) of the Department of Human Rights and Communities (DHRC) monitors law enforcement agencies’ compliance with human rights. It focuses on the development of an independent and effective police service that applies human rights standards. The strategy to fulfil this mandate includes proactive monitoring of the KP, addressing the institutional and legal gaps through confidential reporting, advising police authorities on remedial and/or corrective actions, and human rights capacity-building within the KP. In 2015, the HRSS operated with a total of 12 staff members, two international and 10 local. Three staff members were based in the HQ, while the rest were deployed to the Mission’s Regional Centres/Offices. The HRSS field teams covered eight police regions (Ferizaj/ Uroševac, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Gjakovë/Dakovica, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica North, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South, Pejë/Peć, Prishtinë/Priština, Prizren) in order to analyse and channel information to KP management. Activities Related to General Police Development and Reform Police Monitoring and Confidence-Building In 2015, the Mission carried out monitoring programmes and advised the police on issues such as preventing and responding to hate crimes, freedom of expression, security of non-majority communities, and use of force. The findings and recommendations deriving from these monitoring exercises were discussed with the Kosovo Police (KP) management at 24 roundtables that were organized in eight police regions (three in each region). In April 2015, the Mission organized eight one-day trainings for approximately 150 officers of all KP regional directorates 48 on freedom of expression. The aim of the trainings was to broaden the knowledge of the KP participants on international human rights standards and applicable domestic laws pertaining to the freedom of expression. Police Development and Reform within Security Sector Reform The Mission continued its long-lasting and successful cooperation with the MoIA, KAPS and its newly functionalized Faculty for Public Safety. Supported by the Mission, the Academy has also commenced its path to upgrade further career development of the KP leadership by introducing a post-graduate education programme on security sciences. Having supported the KAPS and the EU on the successful conclusion of the Twining Project “Improved Education in the Public Safety and Security Sector”, the Mission’s expertise and support has recently been requested by these two entities