• • • • Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire MoIA training system by implementing the MoIA Training Strategy and the Strategy for Development of the Police Training Centre, both developed with the Mission’s support; Supporting the MoIA’s Sector for Public Relations in its efforts to establish more open communication and stronger co-operation with local and national media, bringing benefits to both parties; Providing assistance for the implementation of criminal justice reform by supporting training for police staff on the new Law on Criminal Procedure; Assisting the MoIA’s Sector for Internal Oversight and Professional Standards in developing accountable and transparent internal control mechanisms and introducing best international practices. Police-Public Partnership: • Supporting the opening of local Prevention Centres and the gradual hand-over of community policing initiatives in order to ensure sustainability of the Local Prevention Councils (LPCs) and Citizen Advisory Groups (CAGs), established in co-operation with the Mission and locally managed since 2012; • Assisting in sustaining reforms and building an effective police service at a decentralized level through co-located police advisers; • Observing developments in inter-ethnic violent incidents and facilitating preventive measures in co-operation with local partners. Overall Security and Transnational Threats: • Strengthening the MoIA’s institutional capacities to fight transnational threats, such as organized crime and terrorism by providing expertise and tailor-made advanced training; • Supporting border management and control, with a focus on internal and regional security through facilitating cross-border dialogue and cross-border operative cooperation. An added value of the PDU remained its strong field presence throughout the country’s police Sectors for Internal Affairs, which ensured a crucial contribution to the first stage of early warning as well as prompt monitoring of the security and inter-ethnic situation. It also contributed to building positive relations between the police and local communities, thereby further developing a sustainable, decentralized and community-oriented police service. In addition, in line with the Annex C, Paragraph 5.3 of the OFA, the PDU, through its Training Division, focused on further enhancing the professionalization of MoIA staff. Capacity building activities were developed to support the sustainability of the established training structures at the centralized and decentralized levels, as well as to improve the managerial skills of MoIA mid-level staff. Activities included workshops, study visits, training monitoring and evaluation activities, as well as targeted training courses, which utilized modern training methods and curricula. Overall, more than 450 Police Officers and 220 MoIA officials were trained in courses organized or supported by the PDU in 2014. In 2014, the PDU consisted of 13 international and 16 national staff members. Police Reform Following previous assistance to MoIA in the same field, in 2014, the PDU supported the MoIA in implementation of the new LoIA (adopted in March 2014 but applicable as of March 2015), its ensuing bylaws (Rulebooks), the MoIA Collective Agreement and other applicable guidelines. The purpose is to strengthen the capacity of the human resources management and development systems based on professional criteria and effective, efficient, accountable and transparent procedures. 107