Ambassador Delawie visited the Academy

 Vushtrri, 24 July 2017 – Ambassador of the United States of America, Greg Delawie, visited today the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, where he was welcomed by the General Director of the Academy, Ismail Smakiqi, Dean of the Faculty of Public Safety, Bejtush Gashi and the Directors of KAPS Departments: Rrahim Rexha, Kastriot Jashari and Shpend Shabani.

The aim of the visit of Ambassador Delawie was to get familiar with the background, development, mission, vision and the structure of the Academy.

Director Smakiqi thanked Ambassador Delawie for the visit and support of the Embassy of the United States of America and the US institutions, primarily ICITAP, during all stages of the Academy's development. During these years, the Academy, respectively the Public Safety Agencies, were supported in the field of training and various technical equipment.

In the field of training, Director Smakiqi emphasized the ten-week training "Police Staff and Command School" that is developed by the Northwestern University Public Safety Center. "This training at the Academy has been held for five years in a row and has had regional character including police officers from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo. This training has also increased the reputation of the Academy in regional and international dimension", Smakiqi said.

Director Smakiqi further continued that in the field of donations, respectively the technical and other equipment, during these years the Academy has benefited greatly, such is the Fire Arms Training Simulation (FATS) equipment, serving for training of Kosovo public safety officers. "This equipment was donated to the Academy by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the US State Department in June this year and is the only one in Kosovo and the countries of the region," Smakiqi said.

Over the years, the Academy has been supported by senior advisors, ICITAP officials, experts in public safety, police, legislation and training.

General Director of the Academy, Ismail Smakiqi, informed Ambassador Delawie about all the activities that are being developed at the Academy, as well as about its future objectives. What distinguishes the Academy, said Smakiqi, is the high level of professionalism of the Academy staff, teamwork and respect of its proclaimed values such as honesty, transparency, accountability and professional ethics.

Director Smakiqi during this meeting also briefed Ambassador Delawie on important processes of the Academy, such is the opening of the Faculty of Public Safety and the re-accreditation of the study program of this Faculty, as well as the validation of basic vocational curricula at the National Qualifications Authority.

Ambassador Delawie was also briefed on international cooperation of the Academy with police academies of Europe and wider, as well as on memberships in various associations, in particular for the signing of the Working Arrangement with the CEPOL and the EU-funded Twinning Project.
US Ambassador Greg Delawie was pleased with his visit to the Academy. "I have the pleasure to visit your Academy for the third time, thank you for everything you do for the Public Safety in your country," said Delawie. He congratulated KAP General Director on international cooperation and especially on signing the Working Arrangement with the CEPOL.

Continuing by appreciation the Academy, Ambassador Delawie said: "Kosovo Police is the most reliable institution in the region, amongst other, thanks to the training provided by your Academy".

During the visit, Ambassador Delawie was also interested on the progress achieved about the international accreditation of the Academy through IADLEST. Ambassador Delawie also showed his interest about the number of trainings held at the Academy.

 ICITAP Senior Adviser, Drita Perezic, notified the Ambassador for the readiness of IADLEST on accreditation of the Academy as an institution of training and higher education. Accreditation of the Academy by IADLEST would increase the Academy's reputation as an institution for training and education of the law enforcement officers, as well as for the possibility of support of the Academy by ICITAP on establishment of a Master study program based on the curriculum of the" School of Police Staff and Command".

Ambassador Delawie, accompanied by General Director Smakiqi, visited the KAPS campus, including the demonstration of FATS's work, a donation by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

In addition to Ambassador Greg Delawie, part of the visiting delegation to the Academy were also James Hope, Director of USAID Mission in Kosovo, Kimberly Riffe, Acting ICITAP Program Manager and Drita Perezic, Senior Advisor to ICITAP.