In the framework of SCPA Program work plan activities, PMT Coordinator organized a workshop on “The experiences and effective methods of delivering awareness campaigns in schools’ addressed to the ASP CPO Educators, on 19-20 December 2024 at the Security Academy premises. It focused on the analysis of the work carried out by the CPO Educators in terms of the delivery of the awareness campaigns in schools during 2023 – 2024 based on the CPO Educators online Forum feedback and the discussions during the workshop. In addition, the workshop served at revitalizing the role of the CPO Educators and focused on identifying the training needs of the newly appointed CPO Educators. During the workshop the SCPA Program PMT Expert and Coordinator shared and exchanged the experiences with the trainees on the successful delivery of the awareness campaigns with youth in schools in general and especially focused on the training modules of the fight against Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking. At the end of the workshop visibility materials/flyers produced by the SCPA on the aforementioned training modules were distributed to the participants to be distributed in schools during the period January – March 2025 in order to raise awareness with youth on these specific topics.  It was agreed that at the end of the awareness campaigns an analysis will be carried out on the work performed by the ASP CPO Educators focusing on the priorities , issues and challenges encountered during the awareness campaigns and their daily work.  

On December 18th, 2024 SCPA Program organized its 1st Steering Committee meeting with participation from various stakeholders. The SCM was cochaired by Mr Rebani Jaupi, Director of the Public Order and Security Department at ASP and Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation Development at the Embassy of Sweeden Mr Erik Illes.  The meeting was attended by stakeholders from ASP management in the area of public security and police training, representatives from the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Health and Social Protection and Civil Society Support Agency. ASP Director Mr Rebani Jaupi expressed his appreciation for the achievement of the previous two phases of the Program and mentioned that ASP was looking forward to welcome further development in the third phase of the Program. He highlighted the fact that the Government of Sweden through the SCPA has supported ASP for many years through its activities, technical assistance and donation of modern technical equipment, police premises reconstruction, advanced software by strengthening the cooperation with the community actors and enhancing the police capacities in providing responsive, efficient and transparent services.  ASP looks forward to implementing the activities presented in the Inception Report and is fully committed to achieve the expected results. Mr Erik Illes, mentioned that Sweden has been a longstanding partner in Albania in the development cooperation on the areas of democracy, human rights, public security area and public services. He highlighted the fact that Government of Sweden looks forward to stronger partnerships and engagement with ASP not only in the area of Community Policing but also in the Crime Scene Investigation and Sexual and Gender-based Violence. He appreciated the partnerships of other relevant institutions involved in implementing the CP program, especially the civil society. As financing body, they are looking forward to further development of activities of the SCPA Program in cooperation with ASP. Mr SHUNDI SCPA Team Leader provided an overview of the Program focus areas and activities and expressed his appreciation for the engagement of ASP and all other relevant stakeholders in support to implementation of Program activities. The meeting concluded with the unanimous approval of the SCPA Inception Report and Work Plan. All stakeholders expressed their appreciation for the fruitful and successful cooperation with the Program and expressed their willingness for further cooperation and engagement.  

In the framework of SCPA Programme activities, respectively ‘’Support functioning of Local Councils of Public Safety’, PMT Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Ms Eldisa Zhebo attended meetings with Durres and Fier Public Safety and Security Structures on 10th December 2024. Two meetings were organized, respectively in Durres and Fier Districts following the approval of the CoM Decision No. 678, dated 30.10.2024 on ‘Structure, detailed rules of organization and functioning of the LCPS and the National Council of Community Safety”. The first meeting was organized in Durres District with the participation of the representatives from Durres District Prefecture, Durres, Shijak and Kruja, Municipalities and ASP respective Police Commissariats. The second meeting was organized in Fier District with the representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Fier LPD, respective Police Commissariats and Fier, Mallakastra, Patos and Lushnja Municipalities. During these two meetings the importance of establishing the LCPS was emphasized. SCPA PMT will continue to support the establishment and functioning of LCPSs alongside the capacity-building for LCPS members and ASP personnel and will also carry out an assessment of LCPSs functioning and sustainability. At the end of the meeting, all parties expressed their appreciation on the cooperation and support provided to date by the international partners and their interest in the continuation of such useful cooperation.  

SCPA Programme supported and cooperated with the Albanian State Police to raise awareness with youth during the 16 days of action against domestic violence campaign. In the framework of the International Domestic Violence Awareness Weeks the SCPA PMT organized meetings with the Programme beneficiaries to share and exchange information on the Domestic Violence activities pursuant to the Programme work plan. In addition, the PMT cooperated closely with the ASP Directorate of Crimes in Volume, respectively the Sector against Domestic Violence and Protection of Minors by delivering promotional/visibility materials against DV such as flyers, posters and banners, wristbands and pens. The promotional materials have been widely distributed by the ASP DV Officers in cooperation with School Security Officers from the Ministry of Education and Sports in schools in Albania. The SCPA Programme during its activities’ implementation will continue to support the ASP DV structures and also cooperate with schools in the fight against domestic violence and gender-based violence.

Program Team Leader Mr. Ansi Shundi and Grant Scheme Manager Ms. Miranda Fishka, met with Shkodra LPD Director Mr. Fatmir Lleshaj and other managers of the LPD on 26 November 2024. This meeting was organized in the framework of the implementation of the work plan activities and in order to share and exchange information on the Grant Scheme, which will support the creation of partnerships to facilitate the achievement of key results across all three SCPA Program pillars.  PMT informed Shkodra LPD managers that the First Call for Grant Applications will be organized soon and Shkodra LPD is one of the four targeted LPDs. In addition, to this activity the PMT discussed on the Domestic Violence activities and delivered to Shkodra LPD the promotional/visibility materials produced by the SCPA Program in the framework of the International Domestic Violence Awareness Week. The DV visibility materials produced by the SCPA Program will be displayed in the LPD premises to raise awareness with the wider community and further distributed by the relevant DV structures within the community especially at schools to raise awareness on DV with youth. The SCPA PMT participated in the coordination meeting organized by Ms Majlinda Angoni, the Prefect of Shkodra, for the revitalization of Local Councils on Public Safety (LCPS) following the approval of the CoM Decision No. 678, dated 30.10.2024 on ‘Structure, detailed rules of organization and functioning of the LCPS and the National Council of Community Safety”. The SCPA program will support the activities related to LCPS in Shkodra during next year.

Program Team Leader Mr. Ansi Shundi and Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Ms. Eldisa Zhebo, participated in the meeting initiated by the Ministry of the Interior and organized on November 18th, 2024, in the premises of the Elbasan District Prefecture. This meeting was organized in the framework of the approval of the CoM Decision on Local Public Safety Councils (LCPS), with the participation of the representatives of the Ministry of Interior, Elbasan District Prefecture, municipalities and police commissariats, SCPA Program and the OSCE Presence in Albania. Following more than 8 years of collaboration and cooperation on the organization and functioning of the LCPS, the SCPA Program and the OSCE Presence in Albania congratulated the approval of the CoM Decision on LCPS. In this framework, a round of meetings has been initiated in all the districts to emphasize the importance of establishing the LCPS. In the municipalities where the LCPS has been operational the legal basis is now in force, whereas in the municipalities in which LCPS do not exist, it is mandatory to establish the LCPS within 3 months from the approval of the CoM Decision on LCPS. This meeting is deliberately organized in Elbasan, considering the successful experience of LCPS in the municipalities of Elbasan, Cërrik and Belsh. The SCPA program reiterated its ongoing support on LCPS and public order and security in this region. At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry of Interior and Elbasan District Prefecture expressed their appreciation on the cooperation and support provided to date by the international partners and their interest in the continuation of such useful cooperation.         

On November 6, 2024, the General Directorate of the Albanian State Police, Executive Director Mr. Ilir Proda held a meeting with Mrs. Linda Gjermani, Programme Officer at the Embassy of Sweden and Mr. Ansi Shundi, Team Leader of the SCPA Programme – ‘Strengthening Community Policing in Albania’. Mr. Proda appreciated the cooperation and support provided to date by the Swedish Government. The Swedish Government, through its programmes financed in many years, is one of the main stakeholders of the Albanian State Police especially in the Community Policing area. The Albanian Police has benefited from the best practices implemented and from the investments developed in the framework of programmes, which have had an impact not only in the police infrastructure but also in the equipment provided. General Director also emphasized the important role of the prevention in relation to creating safer communities and the importance of the increase of citizens’ trust in police services, areas where the programmes funded by the Swedish Government have been involved. On behalf of the Swedish Embassy, Mrs. Gjermani emphasized the fruitful cooperation and partnership established with the Albanian State Police and other beneficiaries of the Community Policing Programme and the tangible results achieved by this cooperation. She informed the ASP managers that in addition to the SCPA Programme, the Swedish Embassy intends to fund another programme as a bilateral cooperation between the Swedish Police and the Albanian State Police, focusing on capacities’ enhancement as regards the crime scene investigation and forensics and sexual and gender-based violence cases. This second programme is expected to commence early 2025. SCPA Program Team Leader Mr. Shundi informed on the activities developed on the third phase of the Programme, which started in July 2024. The focus of the programme will be improving the effectiveness of CP implementation, enhancement of accountability and coordination of police with other local stakeholders and enhancement of prevention capacities, including the project ‘Safe Schools” and road traffic safety. At the end of the meeting, both parties expressed their appreciation for the fruitful and successful cooperation during the last twelve years and their intention to further continue such cooperation.