A two-day training for law enforcement officers on professional security and its impact on HIV-related services for people who use drugs has been completed in Vinnytsia. The event was organized by KhNUIA together with a partner - the Program Office in Ukraine of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The participants were cadets of the graduation course. The aim of the training was to prepare them for the challenges of their professional activities related to public health issues.

The training sessions were conducted by the UNODC National Program Officer in Ukraine Serhii RUDYI and the Head of the International Cooperation Department of KhNUIA Tetiana MATIUSHKOVA. They combined the medical and legal aspects of the topic, applied interactive methods, practical exercises and modern training approaches. This contributed to the assimilation of new knowledge, systematization of existing experience and the formation of practical skills of future law enforcement officers.

During the training, the cadets practiced algorithms for interacting with HIV-infected people who use injection drugs, and the procedure for providing first aid in case of overdose. They learned about safe methods of searching for illegal drug trafficking objects, studied the regulatory legal acts regulating police activities in this area, as well as relevant examples of investigative and judicial practice.

Serhii RUDYI presented a package of measures to prevent HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis among people who inject drugs, and emphasized the important role of law enforcement officers in responding to overdose cases.

Tetiana MATIUSHKOVA drew the participants' attention to the peculiarities of law enforcement in the field of combating drug crime: “It is important to understand the limits of a police officer’s discretionary powers. Citizens’ trust in the law enforcement system depends on the legality of decisions and actions.”

After completing the training modules, the participants successfully passed the post-training testing and received certificates.

The closing speech was delivered by the First Vice-Rector of KhNUIA, Viktor VASYLENKO, who summed up the event and highly appreciated the importance of the knowledge gained for the future practical activities of law enforcement officers. He thanked the UNODC Program Office in Ukraine for its support and fruitful cooperation, expressing hope for the continuation of joint training initiatives. https://univd.edu.ua/uk/news/25559