In order to assist the MoIA in the implementation of police reforms, the PDU translated the Guidebook on Police Reforms within the Framework of Criminal Justice System Reform, prepared and published by the TNTD/SPMU, into the Macedonian language. The Macedonian language version of the Guidebook was planned to be printed and distributed to the MoIA relevant structures in the first half of 2014. Following a request of the MoIA and in line with the Ministry of Justice's Action Plan for Implementation of the new Law on Criminal Procedure (LCP) - as part of the Government's multi-year Criminal Justice Reform Strategy - the PDU organized 26 rounds of three-day basic training sessions on the new Law on Criminal Procedure (LCP) for police staff in 2013. This training was a continuation of the series of basic training to MoIA personnel on the new LCP, which has been supported by the Mission since 2011. In 2013, about 520 police officers at the central level were trained on the new LCP. At the Mission-level, further assistance was provided by the Rule of Law Unit within the Human Dimension Department, which delivered the training on the new LCP conducted through the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors for approximately 60 law enforcement officers, including police, financial police and customs officers. In its efforts to further enhance accountable and transparent internal oversight mechanisms of the police, the PDU, in co-operation with DCAF, organized the 4th Regional Conference on “Police Integrity, Accountability and External Oversight” for representatives of the Units of Internal Control Affairs from 11 countries in the region. The Conference was held on 5-7 November in Skopje and brought together 49 practitioners from Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo22, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, the host country and representatives from the international community present in the host country. The aim of the Conference was to exchange up-to-date information on how to improve police integrity; and how to develop action plans on police integrity and on integrity testing as an effective mechanism for achieving greater transparency of police operations. The Conference proved once again that corruption is a phenomenon, which goes beyond borders and requires efforts to fight it on a regional basis. In accordance with the Rulebook on Training (a by-law of the LoIA), the MoIA, supported by the PDU, elaborated further on the Development Strategy of the Police Training Centre (PTC) 2014-2018. The Strategy was expected to be crucial for the MoIA in setting foundations that would support the reform, modernization and self-improvement of its training system. An external national expert with extensive experience in police strategy development was hired to expand the Strategy in line with existing legislation. The Draft version of the Strategy was presented to and discussed among the members of the working group established by the MoIA for this purpose. The adoption by the MoIA was postponed until 2014 to ensure compliance with new Law on Internal Affairs (LoIA). Police-Media Relations On 28-30 September, the PDU organized a three-day workshop on “Effective Crisis Information Management” for 15 employees from the MoIA’s Sector for Public Relations, regional police spokespersons and police officers from the Unit for Crisis Management in Ohrid. The workshop was facilitated by both national and international external experts from the School of Journalism and Public Relations in Skopje and included an interactive agenda with a number of exercises, simulations and discussions. Participants received step-by-step guidance and directions on how to communicate with the media in a crisis when the public should be made aware of the situation and its possible consequences. 22 102 All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

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