ODIHR trains Montenegrin police in recognizing and investigating hate crimes

ODIHR launched a training programme to help Montenegrin law-enforcement officers better recognize, understand and investigate hate crimes with a three-day course that ended on 29 November 2013 in Podgorica.

The opening event for ODIHR’s Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme brought together high-level officials from the Police Academy, the Police Directorate, the Ministries of Education, Interior, and Human and Minority Rights, the Ombudsperson’s Office, and the OSCE Mission in Montenegro.

“TAHCLE provides law-enforcement officers with the technical information and skills needed in responding to hate crimes,” said Larry Olomofe, ODIHR’s Training Co-ordinator. “Hate crimes, if left unchecked, can destabilize society. Robust and swift responses by law enforcement agencies send the message that hate crimes will not be tolerated.”

“Training and educating law-enforcement personnel is a key element in effectively addressing bias-motivated crimes,” said Tanja Tripović, Acting Director of the Police Academy. “The implementation of the TAHCLE programme will benefit society in Montenegro.”

During the three-day course, investigators, public order police officers and police academy trainers explored diversity within society, learned about interactive training techniques and reviewed case studies of law enforcement responses to hate crimes. The participants will, in turn, provide the same training to their colleagues and students of the Police Academy.

The TAHCLE programme, launched in 2011, provides tailored training for law-enforcement officers on addressing hate crimes. In August this year, the Police Academy of Montenegro signed an agreement to implement the programme. Montenegro is the sixth OSCE participating State with the programme in place, along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Poland and Ukraine.