Jericho, July 8, 2012 - The Palestine College of Police Sciences in Jericho was officially opened by the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and the European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.
The 15-million Euro training facility was a multi-donor effort funded by the European Union as well as Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, the UK and Canada.
Police training advisors from the European Union Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support (EUPOL COPPS) played a key role in developing the operational plan of the College, the curriculum of training activities and in being present at the College on a daily basis to train, mentor and advice the PCP staff at operational level.
The inauguration of the compound was attended by Chief of Police, Major General Hazem Atallah, Heads of Palestinian Security forces, and the newly appointed head of EUPOL COPPS, Kenneth Deane, in addition to European Union Heads of Missions and international donors in the Security and Rule of Law sector.
The College is a 'state-of-the-art' facility in the hands of the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) to provide cadets and officers with the highest level of police training in accordance with international and Human Rights standards. The construction commenced in 2009 under the management of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and today all twelve buildings of the compound are handed over to the PCP.
Prime Minister Fayyad and President Barroso also signed an agreement of € 20 million in support of the Rule of Law and Democracy. Funds will be allocated towards supporting the infrastructure and capacity of the PCP, the capacity of civil society in monitoring security sector institutions and also enhancing the quality of legal and judicial education in Palestinian institutions.
