The CiB also provided consulting services and two three-day training courses on the completion of the new Strategy on the Information Policy of the MoI for about 30 officers of the police’s press-services and for ten police chiefs. The lack of efficient co-operation and systematic communication between press service departments all over the country resulted in the untimely submission of information. Therefore, some measures were undertaken to develop public outreach of the MoI’s press service resulting in the availability of both the Kyrgyz and Russian languages on the MoI’s web site that provided an interactive source of information about the Ministry’s activities. The number of visitors increased by four times in comparison to the previous year. In addition, the thematic citation index (quality characteristics of the website information) was increased. This contributed to facilitating more efficient co-operation and systematic communication between press service departments all over the country. Additionally, the CiB improved the technical capacity of the MoI‘s press service to produce professional TV programmes and printed products about the police. Human Rights, Ethnic Minorities and Civilian Oversight The project focused on increasing police awareness and sensitivity on inter-ethnic issues and improving practical skills of police officers in these spheres. Together with previously trained trainers of the Kyrgyz police, the NGO “Social Technologies Agency” delivered training courses on “Ethnic Minorities’ Issues in the Work of the Police” to more than 200 police officers of district and municipal police departments and to the Local Crime Prevention Centres (LCPCs) of Bishkek and the Chui province. Following these courses, ten two-day workshops were held in Bishkek city and the Chui province. Eleven of the15 officers who had undergone the TOT on inter-ethnic issues were assigned to conduct training sessions in the Chui province. Trainers of the Police Academy delivered a series of training-of-trainers courses on human rights and crowd psychology for some 600 police officers in Talas, Naryn, Issyk-Kul and the southern provinces. Training sessions mainly aimed at providing information about international human rights standards and national human right mechanisms, the various stages and methods of conflict prevention, and identifying human rights standards in police procedures and behavioural strategies in conflict situation. An international expert conducted lecture courses on international practice in protecting police officers’ rights; organizing civil police-oversight agencies; the organization and activities of police trade unions; and on the functioning of women organizations in the police. In addition, the trainer formulated recommendations on protecting police officers’ rights on the basis of the existing legislation and the law on police of the Kyrgyz Republic and developed a memo for police officers on the observance and protection of human rights of detained or prosecuted persons, and during mass disorders. In November, the Police Academy, with support of the CiB, organized a round table on the interaction of the police with other authorities and public organizations to develop a civilian oversight institution. Representatives of civil society, mass media, police practitioners and representatives of other law enforcement agencies took active part in the round table. The purpose of the round table meeting was to improve police interaction with authorities, representatives of civil society and mass media on issues related to the development and incorporation of civilian oversight principles; to exchange good practices from the representatives of pilot regions and to identify further steps for strengthening and expanding interactive forums for police and society. 96