Rivne region has become the fifth region of the state where the project Police Officer of the Community was launched. Within its framework, 27 consolidated territorial communities have concluded a Memorandum of cooperation with the Police. 41 police officers who will perform their duties in the territories of the communities will get appropriate training under the international program.

Today, on August 13, the Head of the National Police of Ukraine Serhii Kniazev presented the project Police Officer of the Community in the Rivne region. The event gathered heads of the Department of Preventive Action of the National Police, the regional police, the regional authorities, heads of the consolidated communities, as well as representatives of the US Department of Justice's International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP).

According to the Head of the National Police of Ukraine Serhii Kniazev, the project Police Officer of the Community is a new format in the work of the police. It is focused primarily on providing citizens with quality police services. The police officer will reside on the territory of the community and will be in constant contact with the people, helping to solve problems and needs of citizens. At that, the police officer will not be distracted from performing functions that are not within his responsibility.

The Head of the National Police informed that the process of training community police officers is based on the experience gained, including during the training of the first group of officers in Dnipropetrovsk region.

“Several police groups from other regions are currently undergoing training. We are constantly improving, taking the best experience. We teach individual protection on the compulsory basis”, said Serhii Kniazev, adding that citizens should rely on trained police officers.

John Montanio, head of the ICITAP regional office in Ukraine, US Department of Justice, noted that the Community Police Officer project is a logical continuation of the National Police reform process. In addition, local communities and the police will now have the opportunity to work together to address community issues. In doing so, future community police officers will be trained to solve small community problems long before they can become large.

He stressed that police officers would be part of the community in which they would work, and therefore feel responsible for the safety and well-being of the community members. At the same time, the involvement of US Department of Justice representatives in this project demonstrates its continued support from foreign partners. They support the project through training and mentoring for the Ukrainian police, as well as providing logistical support for the project.

Police Chief in Rivne region Valery Samchuk thanked CC heads for their support and assured the police officers were open to cooperation. At that, the police of Rivne region are ready to promote that the officers whom the citizens chose will work in the communities.

As part of the Community Police Officer project, 27 Consolidated Territorial Communities of Rivne region have signed a Memorandum of cooperation with the Police. 41 police officers who will serve in their territories will receive appropriate training under the international program.

It should be noted that the project Community Police Officer triggered in Ukraine at the end of May this year.