EULEX has facilitated a two-week Train the Trainers course for Kosovo Police officers focusing on the interviewing and management of vulnerable victims in investigations of sexual and gender based violence offences (SGBV).

The aim of the training was for Kosovo Police to have its own capacity to deliver such training to its staff, and the ability to further develop such training in the future.

Over the ten-day course, EULEX staff supported an external expert and worked with staff from Kosovo Police. The course focused on cognitive interviewing techniques and how this training can now be delivered to operational staff.

The training was delivered by UK expert Kay Durant, an experienced UK investigator in the area of SGBV and vulnerability and an expert in vulnerable victim (VV) interviewing and management. She was supported by Cindy Syes EULEX Gender Based Violence Advisor to Kosovo Police and Damare Elizabeth Theriot a EULEX Prosecutor with expertise in the investigation of sexual offences.

The training included theoretical and practical inputs on best practices in VV interviewing and management followed by interactive discussions between the trainers and participants. Participants were also tasked with preparing lesson plans and giving presentations based on the training, receiving feedback from both the trainers and fellow colleagues.

“The training will be useful to all police officers present and the experience we have gained here will allow us to transfer this knowledge to our colleagues throughout our units. It has assisted us, in our understanding of what skills we need to possess in order to become a trainer, how to lecture and how to stay on subject while teaching.  I appreciate this training”, said one of the participants, Driton Marevci, Lieutenant in Kosovo Police and Head of the Anti-Trafficking Unit with Human Beings in Police in Ferizaj.

The presentations that were given by participants reflected the knowledge learned and the transferrable skills that have been enhanced over the last two weeks.

“The presentations from the Kosovo police are fantastic and show how much they’ve really understood domestic abuse in Kosovo. There were lots of issues covered and how they impact on both victims and their family. I was extremely pleased with how the sessions went and how well the content of the course was received in country by all the participating students” said Kay Durant.

The overall objective of the program is to enhance the self-sustaining training capacity within Kosovo Police and long-term institutional development towards improving the skills and knowledge in dealing with vulnerable victims at an organizational level

Cindy Syes said, ‘EULEX is very pleased with the outcome from these programs, it provides sustainable capacity for Kosovo Police and is at the heart of delivery a trusted service by the Police to the public of Kosovo’.

EULEX is dedicated to supporting Kosovo Police and the enhancement of skills, knowledge and expertise in dealing with vulnerable victims.