On 9 and 10 April 2025, the Albanian Center for Family Development held educational sessions with students of the “Beqir Çela” vocational school in Shkozet, within the framework of the “Awareness and Engagement of Youth on Safety and Education” project. In cooperation with the Durrës LPD police officers and road safety experts, about 40 youngsters participated in an accident simulation with a car simulator and discussed safe behaviors on the road. The activity raised awareness about the importance of respecting the rules by handling road safety as a common responsibility.  

On April 2nd, 2025, the Strengthening Community Policing in Albania (SCPA) program held a training session at the Oxford Hotel in Tirana addressed to the representatives of four NGOs selected to implement the Local Safety Measurement Survey (LSMS) in the regions of Durres, Elbasan, Fier, and Shkodra. Participants included project coordinators, interviewers, and supervisors from each NGO, with a total of 18 attendees. The training aimed to ensure a solid understanding of the survey’s objectives, questionnaire structure, household selection methods, and the use of Google Forms for field data collection. This activity is part of the Grant Scheme under the third phase of the SCPA program (2024–2029), which aims to strengthen partnerships between the State Police, LCPS (Local Councils of Public Safety) and local communities. The LSMS serves as a vital tool to measure public perceptions of safety, exposure to crime, and satisfaction with police work. Based on population-based random sampling, the survey generates valuable insights into the state of public order and community safety, contributing to evidence-based policymaking in alignment with Albania’s Cross-Sectoral Strategy on Community Safety 2021–2026.

The “Gender, Peace and Security” Association, on 3rd April 2025, organized the launch meeting of the project “Strengthening Cooperation and Interventions for the Prevention and Addressing of Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Violence through the Functioning of Local Mechanisms and Community Policing”, within the framework of the Swedish program Strengthening Community Policing in Albania – SCPA. The launch meeting, which brought together about 30 participants, service providers at the local level, police, municipality, prefecture, health sector, education sector and civil society, aimed to present the project and further establish the necessary inter-institutional cooperation for the implementation of the project and the efficient provision of services to victims of violence. The meeting served to share the challenges faced by victims of violence in accessing services and the role of local actors in providing services.  

On 02-04 April 2025, General Patrol Officers (Fier and Mallakastra Police Commissariats) and Command and Control Room personnel from Fier Local Police Directorate participated in the training delivered by SCPA PMT in Fier LPD. The trainees are introduced to both theoretical and practical exercises and group work by focusing on CP philosophy and implementation of its elements into the daily routine of ASP officers. In addition, they are presented with situations/practical exercises to be handled with and solved by them as they work in groups with the aim of providing measures to be taken proactively in order to implement the CP elements. In order to provide a comprehensive training module on CP SCPA cooperates with CVE, whose experts provide interactive lecturing on Countering Violent Extremism. Best EU practices on CP philosophy implementation are shared with the ASP officers. At the end of such training the ASP officers are able to enhance their knowledge and capacities on implementation of CP.  

On 25th March 2025, an awareness-raising activity regarding road safety was organized in the city of Shkodra as part of the “Go for Life” project of the grantee organization EKO Mendje. Activists went out into the field with green vests, signboards, road cones and information brochures to raise awareness and sensitize citizens on the rules of safe mobility in the city. The activity attracted a lot of interest from pedestrians, cyclists and car drivers. Local media also covered this activity as an important initiative aiming at increasing road safety and avoiding traffic in the city.

On March 26, 2025, the National Center for Community Services, grantee of the first round of the Grant Scheme, organized the launch meeting of the project ” Increasing the efficiency and quality of the service of the State Police, local actors and the community for the victims of the Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Violence”. This activity was organized with the participation of the representatives from local institutions, social services, and other local actors, as well as representatives from the State Police, civil society, religious groups, psycho-social service school specialists, administrators and youth from the administrative units of Mbrostar, Cakran and Portez of the Municipality of Fier. The main purpose of this activity was to familiarize the participants with the project objectives and activities, the expected results and the concrete interventions that will be implemented in the respective areas. Besides, this activity served as an opportunity to foster various partnerships and collaborations, which are necessary for the successful implementation of this project.

On 25-27 March 2025 General Patrol Officers and Command and Control Room personnel from Fier Local Police Directorate (Fier and Mallakastra Police Commissariats) participated in the training delivered by SCPA PMT in Fier LPD. The trainees are introduced to both theoretical and practical exercises and group work by focusing on CP philosophy and implementation of its elements into the daily routine of ASP officers. In addition, they are presented with situations/practical exercises to be handled with and solved by them as they work in groups with the aim of providing measures to be taken proactively in order to implement the CP elements. In order to provide a comprehensive training module on CP SCPA cooperates with CVE, whose experts provide interactive lecturing on Countering Violent Extremism. Best EU practices on CP philosophy implementation are shared with the ASP officers. At the end of such training the ASP officers are able to enhance their knowledge and capacities on implementation of CP.

On 5-7 March 2025 General Patrol Officers and Command and Control Room personnel from both Lushnja and Divjaka Police Commissariats participated in the Community Policing training delivered by SCPA PMT in Lushnja Police Commissariat premises. The trainees are introduced to both theoretical and practical exercises and group work by focusing on CP philosophy and implementation of its elements into the daily routine of ASP officers. In addition, they are presented with situations/practical exercises to be handled with and solved by them as they work in groups with the aim of providing measures to be taken proactively in order to implement the CP elements. In order to provide a comprehensive training module on CP SCPA cooperates with CVE, whose experts provide interactive lecturing on Countering Violent Extremism. Best EU practices on CP philosophy implementation are shared with the ASP officers. At the end of such training the ASP officers are able to enhance their knowledge and capacities on implementation of CP.  

On 12 March 2024 SCPA Program organized a high-level conference on ‘Community Policing and Safety in Communities’ in cooperation with its primary and secondary beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders. The conference was attended by the Minister of Interior Mr Ervin Hoxha, Deputy Minister of Interior Ms Romina Kuko, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Education and Sports, Ms Orjana Osmani, General Director of State Police Mr Ilir Proda, Mr. Erik Illes, Head of Development Cooperation from Embassy of Sweden and SCPA PMT. The conference brought together stakeholders responsible and involved in providing public order and safety to the communities. In addition, senior managers and/or representatives from the Albanian State Police, Security Academy, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Ministry of Education and Sports, Association for Local Autonomy, various Municipalities, local government structures, international partners, civil society organizations, NGOs, CPOs Youth Educators and School Security Officers etc.  were present in the conference. An overview of the SCPA program with a focus on its activities, objectives and priorities was presented during the conference by Mr Ansi Shundi, SCPA Team Leader. During the conference relevant stakeholders highlighted the importance of interinstitutional coordination and cooperation to provide safety to the communities in general and specially to provide safe environments for the students at schools. At the end of the conference the Grant Agreement between Government of Sweden and the Government of Albania related to the Third Phase of the Programme on ‘Strengthening Community Policing in Albania’ was signed.