First-ever workshop for heads of EU law enforcement training institutes takes place at CEPOL

On 24-26 October, CEPOL hosted a 3-day workshop that brought together 26 high-level representatives of law enforcement training institutes from 20 EU Member States, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine. Organised for the first time, and in line with the objectives set out by the European Year of Skills, this initiative aimed to facilitate the sharing of experiences between training institutes and support them in adjusting their curricula to respond to evolving changes in skills and competencies required for law enforcement. By initiating an enhanced cooperation between law enforcement training institutes across Europe and developing a long-standing network of professionals, CEPOL aims to bring a new impetus to law enforcement training at EU-level.

During the workshop, participants had the opportunity to map EU-relevant law enforcement training programmes available in English, and identify available training facilities in EU Member States with the most innovative offers. They exchanged leading practices on developing joint training programmes, as well as accreditation and evaluation methods and cooperation possibilities in higher education at EU-level for law enforcement officials. The workshop also focused on identifying different mobility schemes funded by the EU and explored the possibility of establishing a CEPOL platform to organise and coordinate future actions.

Discussions evolved on how the findings of the CEPOL EU Strategic Training Needs Assessment (EU-STNA) can be incorporated in the portfolios of law enforcement training institutes, in order to add a European dimension in the national law enforcement training activities.

Background information

The agency’s strategy 2023-2027, adopted by the CEPOL Management Board in November 2022, mandated CEPOL to become the EU Hub for Law Enforcement Training, with a reinforced role in coordinating and supporting the cooperation with and between relevant stakeholders through networks, research and mobility programmes and higher education products among national training institutions.

CEPOL aims to enhance its cooperation with universities, academia and research institutions to keep training innovative, adaptive, predictive and as an essential toolkit in a rapidly developing environment at technological level. It also aspires to facilitate the integration of new adult learning methodologies, including a higher education flagship programme.

Within the scope of its enhanced role, CEPOL planned to deliver this year three newly designed activities aiming to offer a unique learning and networking opportunity for law enforcement practitioners, academics and researchers. The CEPOL Workshop on Environmental Crime (22/2023/ONS) was the first to be delivered in this new activity format, followed by the CEPOL Workshop for Heads of Law Enforcement Training Institutes (90/2023/ONS).  In November, CEPOL is organising the workshop for Heads of Riot Units (91/2023/ONS).