In May 2022, Ingrid Nyborg, Tor Damkås and Jaishankar Ganapathy held a joint Training-of-Trainers Workshop at TNPA in Ankara, where we shared our knowledge of COP based on our in-depth research in 12 post conflict countries, and they shared their experiences, challenges and visions of how they wish to transform their policing to working together with communities to ensure human security for all.

Workshop 1: Norway as a Key Actor in Community-Oriented Policing in Post-Conflict Police Reform

Held at PHS, this one-day workshop focused on the role of Norway in international missions, and the relevance of the results from the ICT4COP Project.

The program included presentations on ICT4COP results, a panel discussion on ‘Challenges working in post-conflict contexts in and with police reform’ with representatives from policymakers, police, military and civil society organizations, and group work. The group work looked at how we might better address the challenges of post-conflict police reform, posing the question: Where are the gaps in knowledge and competence?

Some of the takeaways included the importance of civil society participation early on in police reform processes, regular dialog and networking between different stakeholders, including academia, and the need for continued capacity-building of and support to international advisors during missions, not only before in pre-deployment training.

Workshop 2: Den norske forebyggende politimodellen som verktøy; hjemme og ute (The Norwegian Preventative Policing Model as a Tool: At Home and Abroad)

Held at PHS, this one-day workshop focused on the Norwegian Police; its institutional approach to policing as preventative and people-focused; the role of the Preventative Police as a specialized part of the police service; the relevance of Norwegian police in international police reform in post-conflict contexts. Participants included Norwegian policing policymakers, policing leadership, preventative police, police who have served as international advisors, academics studying policing in Norway, and civil society actors working in Norway.

The first half of the workshop focused on policing in Norway, and began with presentations on the Norwegian model of policing, and some of the activities and challenges of the preventative police in eastern Oslo. This was followed by groupwork, asking how one might move from seeing preventative/community policing as an individual skill to a more systematic approach, using an example from their work in Norway. This was followed by a presentation of the ‘Fair Policing (Rettferdig politi)’ project in the Police Directorate, which focuses on improving and institutionalizing preventative policing throughout the police service.

The second half of the workshop focused on the challenges of post-conflict police reform, with presentations by ICT4COP, and UNPOL (online). In a second groupwork, participants were given a scenario from Sudan, where they were asked to design a program based on the UN principles of community- oriented policing, focusing on, for example, local participation and ownership. The workshop ended with a discussion of the institutionalization of community policing in post-conflict police reform, the lack of Norwegian preventative police serving in international missions, and the need to adjust recruitment to prioritize those with community policing skills and experience.

Workshop 3: ICT4COP Curriculum Development Workshop

Held at the Norwegian Police Education Center in Kongsvinger, this three-day workshop focused on the development of a new course in Mentoring in Community-Based Policing for International Police Advisors. Based on ICT4COP research findings, experience from our E- learning course, and the discussions held at the earlier workshops and meetings, capacity building of police advisors currently lacks a clear focus on how to successfully promote long- term sustainability in police reform in challenging contexts. This workshop focused on how to address this challenge.

Participants included academics, international police advisors, police leaders and policymakers and NGOs from Norway, Poland, UK, Pakistan and Kenya. Some had been involved in early ICT4COP activities, and some were new to our network and could offer fresh perspectives.

Through focused presentations, extensive groupwork, and informal discussions we received valuable input both on the need for such a course, and on the content. Both during and following the workshop, we received concrete requests from Norwegian policymakers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for follow-up.