NCJ Number
205321
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 52 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2004 Pages: 72-74,76,78
Date Published
March 2004
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the development of the Kosovo Police Service in 1999 and the training of its police officers.
Abstract
In an effort to bring peace and stability to the area, the United Nations mandated U.N. Resolution 1244 to create the now 4,000-strong Kosovo Police Service in Serbia. Over 19,000 applicants sought to enter the first 12-week, U.N. supervised training at the Kosovo Police school in 1999. All applicants to the Kosovo Police Service must be residents of Kosovo, be between the ages of 21 and 55, and have a secondary school education. There is a rigorous selection process involving psychological exams, polygraph tests, and oral interviews; 80 percent of applicants fail the selection process. Despite the dangers inherent in being a police officer in Kosovo at this time, the stability of the work, the pay, and other benefits make membership in the Kosovo Police Service a highly coveted position. The Kosovo Police School is operated under the auspices of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and staffed by 208 international officers from 24 member states. All classes are taught in English and translated into Serbian and Albanian by local translators. Interestingly, Kosovo’s Police Service currently boasts the largest percentage of women officers (17 percent) of any police force in the world. After the training course, officers must serve for 1 month in six different service area locations throughout Kosovo and then complete 2 years of police service before becoming a fully certified police officer. Advanced and specialized police training is also offered at the Kosovo Police School. The article also discusses CIVPOL, the United Nations organization made up of Civilian Police Officers from 47 countries. The goal of CIVPOL officers is generally to stabilize nations and establish the rule of law. CIVPOL officers are full-time paid officers with at least 5 years of police experience. The United States has about 450 civilian officers who serve on CIVPOL for 1 year contracts before returning to their home departments. In conclusion, while the Kosovo Police Service is in its infancy, with the help of international partners, this police force will uphold basic human rights regardless of religious or ethnic background.