Arsen Avakov: Ukrainian police officers will improve their skills under CEPOL programs
5 February 2020Today, on February 5, the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov and the Executive Director of CEPOL Detlef Schroeder signed an Agreement between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL).
Arsen Avakov thanked the European colleagues for their educational programs and noted that Ukrainian law enforcement officers are always ready to learn and gain new experience.
“Over the past five years, the staff of the Ukrainian police has been renewed by 40%. The average age of officers has decreased – the police have become younger. We know for sure that the young generation needs experience, so we pay considerable attention to improving the knowledge and skills of our officers. We are ready to study and will be happy to join the program that you offer us. Thank you for this opportunity”, – Arsen Avakov addressed the guests.
Until now, only the university-level educational bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system have collaborated with CEPOL. The Agreement signed today allows engaging the existing employees of the National Police to educational programs.
From now on, Ukrainian law enforcement officers will be able to undergo training, share the best practices, and gain access to open resources of the e-Net CEPOL electronic network.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs noted that the police of Ukraine reached a level where the personnel is trained according to a single standard.
Each police officer must first work as a regular patrolperson for two years, regardless of education. Only after the employee has gained experience in the Patrol Police, he/she will be able to apply for a higher position. This strategy makes more relevant training for senior police personnel.
CEPOL Executive Director Detlef Schroeder noted that he had visited the National Academy of Internal Affairs, and the main focus of bilateral cooperation, in his opinion, is cybersecurity.
“Our priority is the continuous staff development and the transfer of experience to young professionals. Ukrainian representatives are already participating in a number of our initiatives, and we plan to increase their number. Also, within the framework of the EU project, we are launching an upgrade aimed at combating organized crime,” – said the CEPOL Executive Director.
