UNDP | Europe & CIS | Police spokespersons get training on communication skills

Police spokespersons get training on communication skills

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Albanian Police spokespersons received a special training to help them improve their communication skills with the media and the public.
"This training was an opportunity to learn news things and get practice with TV interviewing skills,” said Mr. Klodian Branko, Public Relations Officer with the Albanian State Police. “We are looking forward to similar trainings, which combine theory and practice. We need to adapt ourselves to the changing times.”

Albania 30 October, 2007

Albanian Police spokespersons received a special training to help them improve their communication skills with the media and the public. The training – organized at the Police Assistance Mission of the European Community to Albania (PAMECA) premises – was a joint initiative of the Albanian State Police and the UNDP Support to Security Sector Reform (SSSR) programme.

Participants included 12 spokespersons (from all the regions of Albania), and two Police Officers from the Public Relations Office of the Albanian State Police. The two-day training was a mixture of theory and practical exercises.

More specifically, the training covered modules such as: public relations in democratic societies, a public relations office’s function, new techniques in communicating with the public and more. Practical exercises touched on improving communication skills in the electronic media, in which spokespersons acted both as interviewer and interviewee.

Klodian Branko, Public Relations Officer with the Albanian State Police said the training was very useful for the Police spokespersons team.

"This training was an opportunity to learn news things and get practice with TV interviewing skills,” said Mr. Branko. “We are looking forward to similar trainings, which combine theory and practice. We need to adapt ourselves to the changing times.”

"We realized how much we can improve in our daily work,” said Gjirokastra Police spokesperson Mr. Gentian Mullaj. “It is also very important that we discussed some of our concerns, which can be addressed if there is effective communication with our supervisors.”

The training also served as an open forum for discussing the concerns and issues of local police spokespersons, to be included as recommendations and findings in an official document that will be circulated among spokespersons’ supervisors and Editors-in-Chief of electronic and written media.

The training was intended to improve the accountability practices of the police, and consolidate the professional capacities of police public relations officers. It also contributes to increasing police transparency and efficiency with the public.

For more information, please contact Genta Konci, Public Awareness and Communication Officer, SSSR and EUSAC Albania Email: genta.konci@undp.org

The UNDP Support to Security Sector Reform (SSSR) programme has contributed to improve the overall security and safety in Albania and has introduced the community-based policing approach to improve public trust in state institutions. The programme promotes partnerships between communities, police and local authorities that work together for safe neighbourhoods.