A delegation of ICITAP from Washington DC visited the Academy

Vushtrri, February 28th, 2018 - General Director of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety (KAPS), Ismail Smakiqi, welcomed today a delegation of ICITAP from Washington DC, consisting of ICITAP Deputy Assistant Director for Europe, Andrea Simic and program analyst of ICITAP, Emily Leival.

During their meeting with the General Director of the Academy, Ismail Smakiqi, they were briefed about the history of development, current state of affairs and plans for the future. Director Smakiqi emphasized mainly contribution and cooperation that KAPS has had over the years and continues to have with ICITAP and other official United States organizations, including various donations, such as Hogan’s Alley, Fire-Arms Training Simulation (FATS) equipment, smart boards and support to the Academy and the Public Safety Agencies in developing human resources through various trainings. Thus, ICITAP provides each year specialized and advanced training for Public Safety Agencies.

One of the most well-known trainings is "School of Police Staff and Command", which was held in the Academy for five times in a row and where there have participated senior police officers from Kosovo Police, senior officers from Public Safety Agencies and the Polices of countries of region. In the Academy there was also held Regional Border Interdiction Training as well as many other training courses of other fields. ICITAP also supported the establishment of the KAPS Board and continues to further support its objectives.

A very important process that is happening at the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety is the International Accreditation of the Academy by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Training and Standards (IADLEST) of the United States of America.

While ICITAP Deputy Assistant Director for Europe, Andrea Simic said she felt happy about the latest developments at the Academy and expressed readiness to continue support of ICITAP to KAPS. Simic spoke about the distinctive advantages of the education system in the field of public safety in Kosovo compared to other countries of the region of South-Eastern Europe. Likewise, Emily Leival emphasized the same support, expressing satisfaction with the current developments and KAPS plans for the future.

Visit of the ICITAP Deputy Assistant Director for Europe, Andrea Simic and ICITAP Program Analyst, Emily Leival, took place as part of the visits that these senior officials from ICITAP Headquarters in Washington DC are realizing in the public safety institutions that ICITAP has cooperation with.