Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs hosted ceremonial events on the occasion of the graduation of students of specialization courses for Local Police Officers assigned to police stations of territorial communities. Within 2,5 months, 128 auditors, who came from different units of the Main Departments of the National Police and Patrol Police Departments of 23 regions of Ukraine, were trained in general law disciplines, pre-medical, tactical-special and fire training, improved driving skills. This is a new level of communication and police service. The Community Officer lives in the community andis available to the public 24/7, ready to deal with all security issues andhe is always close to people. His task is to do everything possible to make every inhabitant of the community feel protected and safe. The training was supported by ICITAP.

The celemonial event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Kateryna Pavlichenko, the Deputy Chief of the National Police, Police General of the Third Rank Oleksandr Fatsevych, the First Vice-Rector of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, Police Colonel Dmytro Shvets, the Chief of MDNP in Kharkiv Region Stanislav Perlin, the Head of the Departmentof of Cooperation with Communities,Police Captain Maiia Breslavska, the Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Ukraine Kristina Kvien, the Head of Law Enforcement at the US Embassy in Ukraine Sarah Lanhenkamp, the Law Enforcement Officer at the US Embassy in Ukraine Frenk Herbert, the Law Enforcement Program Manager at the US Embassy Oleh Savchyn, the Deputy Director of ICITAP in Ukraine Tim Yanovik, Vice-Rectors, UniversityAcademic Staff.

The graduation ceremony took place. Certificates of project participants were also received by the heads of seven territorial communities–Balakliiskoi, Zmiivskoi, Oleksiivskoi, Vilkhivskoi, Donetskoi, Bezliudivskoi and Slobozhanskoi. They were presented by the Deputy Minister Kateryna Pavlichenko, the Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Ukraine Kristina Kvin and the Deputy Chief of the National Police Oleksandr Fatsevych.

On behalf of the Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyi, the Deputy Minister Kateryna Pavlichenko congratulated the graduates on the successful completion of their studies: “Today is an important day in your life. You have completed your training, obtained your certificates and are now community police officers. Your main task is: focus on the needs of the local population; maintain constant contact with residents; monitor and maintain order on your territory; respond to the needs of the community in a timely manner and prevent offenses. On behalf of the Minister of the Interior Affairs, I would like to thank the local communities for their openness and readiness to implement the project and congratulate you on the fact that police officers will be working in your communities soon. I also thank our international partners for implementing this project”.

The Deputy Minister wished the graduates to be honest, open-minded, never stop in their personal development andcarry the high rank of community police officer with dignity.In her speech, theChargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Ukraine Kristina Kvien noted that today's event is an example of effective cooperation between the United States government and Ukraine to implement reforms.

“The US Embassy in Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Police are working hard to make community residents feel safer and it is implemented in a practical and effective way”,–said the US Embassy in Ukraine.–“We really appreciate the support of local communities, who feel that due to the presence of community police officers their residents feel safer and trust the police more. That is why the Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyi has promised to double the number of community police officers. The United States is ready to support this goal by providing additional funding of $10 million, and we are announcing the provision of these funds today”.

Kristina Kvien assured of the continuation of partnership and friendly relations with the United States in carrying out reforms.

The Deputy Chief of the National Police of Ukraine, Police General of the Third Rank Oleksandr Fatsevych congratulated the graduates, representatives of the territorial communities where today's graduates will work and stressed that the knowledge and skills they received during their training will be useful during their service. He thanked the US Embassy in Ukraine, ICITAP, without the support of which the Community Police Officer project would not have taken place at all, and stressed the important role of local communities. “70% of community police officers are provided with transportation at the expense of their communities. This is cooperation and trust. Thank you to the heads of local communities who believed in this project and supported it”.Addressing the graduates, Oleksandr Fatsevych urged them to be guided in their work by the rules of law and the interests of the community, so that the level of trust will only grow.

On behalf of the Rector of the university, Polie General of the third rank Valerii Sokurenko, the First Vice-Rector of the university, Police Colonel Dmytro Shvets, greeted the graduates: “Today is an important day for us - graduation of community police officers from Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs.This is a continuation of the reforms of the National Police. The best lectors and coaches were involved in the implementation of the Community Police Officer project. We reckon on you, on your professionalism, on your attitude to the result, so that citizens feel both protection and support, so that every citizen of Ukraine sees the police officer of the community, first of all,as a defender and assistant”.

The current community police officers of Kharkiv region demonstrated service cars and their equipment to the audience. The events were held in compliance with all quarantine requirements.

After the event, a working meeting took place.

Department of Public Relations of KhNUIA