APCML / ICRC WORKSHOP ON CIVPOL IN PKO
7-9 May 2007
Joint APCML/ICRC workshop on Civilian Police in Peace Keeping Operations

Thirteen Police officers from nine countries rom the Pacific, Australia and Asia participated in a joint workshop on civilian police in Peace Keeping Operations, co-hosted by the Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law (APCML) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the University of Melbourne from 7-9 May 2007. The aim of the workshop was to produce a working paper on the training needs for civilian police in peace keeping operations. Emphasis was given to humanitarian concerns such as the protection of civilians, including internally displaced persons, relations with coalition partners and humanitarian organizations and the legal framework in which CIVPOL operate on overseas PKO.

The participants knew what they were talking about. Together they represented 12 working years of experience in the framework of peace keeping missions in Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Some key elements identified by participants as needing to be given greater attention during the training or preparation of police officers bound for peace keeping missions were, among others:

• consistency in pre-deployment training between contributing forces
• interoperability (with the military and between different police forces)
• coordination with other actors such as humanitarian agencies
• language and cultural dimensions of PKO - e.g. recognising that understanding and respecting the culture of others has a direct influence upon security
• re-integration and post-mission management, notably in the field of psychological support.

The participants from the Pacific, among them one police Commissioner and other high-ranking officers, decided to explore existing structures, such as the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) Conference, in order to contribute to the development of coherent and relevant training strategies in the region.

This joint APCML/ICRC initiative is thus an important contribution to the debate in which various quarters, such as the UN, NATO and the European Union as well as national Police Forces are engaged.

The workshop was officially inaugurated by Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Jevtovic of the Australian Federal Police and the head of the regional delegation for the Pacific of the ICRC, Mr. Jean-Luc Metzker.

Select for a report on the Workshop proceedings

Contact details:

University Node Cathy Hutton Administrator Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law Law School The University of Melbourne VIC 3010 AUSTRALIA Tel: + 61 3 8344 4775 Fax: + 61 3 8344 0054 Email: law-apcml@unimelb.edu.au

Military Node Amy Hoskin Training Administrator Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law Building 100 Randwick Barracks Avoca Street RANDWICK NSW 2031 AUSTRALIA Tel: + 61 2 9349 0115 Fax: +61 2 9349 0757 Email: mlc.admin@defence.gov.au