Aiming to further strengthen the overall performance of United Nations policing, the United Nations Police Division organized the sixth training-of-trainers course for Formed Police Unit (FPU) coordinators and trainers in Ankara, in collaboration with the Turkish National Police, Turkish National Police Academy, the United States, through its International Police Peacekeeping Operations Support Program (IPPOS) of the Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU), and the Integrated Training Service of the Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training of the UN Department of Peace Operations.
Overseen by the Police Division’s Selection and Recruitment Section, this intensive training course, which started on 26 July and will last until 17 September, is expected to enhance police-contributing countries’ pre-deployment training capabilities and improve the performance of deployed FPUs to deliver more effectively by reinforcing their operational capacities and establishing Mobile Training Teams (MTTs) for future deployment to four high-risk peace operations.
Following all COVID-19 safety measures and preventative guidance issued by the United Nations and the Turkish government, about 47 participants, including five women, from 30 police-contributing countries are participating in the training activity.
During the opening ceremony at the Police Academy, United Nations Police Adviser Luis Carrilho emphasized the importance of this activity by noting that “the size and scope of FPUs and their responsibilities have grown substantially and have become increasingly complex.”
“The course will present a great opportunity to study, discuss, propose and consider enhancements to relevant policies, procedures, lessons, and good practices,” he added.
Finally, Commissioner Carrilho extended the UN Police’s appreciation to INL/IPPOS, CoESPU, and particularly their Turkish hosts, the Director General of the Turkish National Police and the President of the Police Academy, for their strong and continuous support. Mr. Mehmet Aktaş, Director General of Police, emphasized the critical role of policing and Turkey’s contributions to global peace and security through its support for UN initiatives.
Today, close to 10,000 United Nations Police officers are authorized to serve in United Nations peace operations, including in 48 FPUs comprising 7,500 police and gendarmerie officers, or 75 percent of the total United Nations Police personnel deployed in peacekeeping operations.