The Kosovo Academy for Public Safety accepts the International Accreditation Certificate from the IADLEST

Boston, 24 May 2018 - In Boston, Massachusetts of the United States, from 19 to 24 May 2018 is being held the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) Annual Conference. This Conference is attended by senior leaders from the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, General Director Ismail Smakiqi; Kosovo Police, Human Resources Department Director, Colonel Taibe Canolli - Brajshori and Director of Training Division Colonel Milorad Corac as well as ICITAP Kosovo Program, ICITAP Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Internal Affairs – Senior Management and Executive Management Program, Drita Perezic, and ICITAP Kosovo Officer, Remzije Ibrahimi.

IADLEST offers its members the opportunity to meet with other training managers and standards in order to exchange ideas, seek advice and compare progress. Members receive project products from IADLEST, national policy contribution and innovations in criminal justice standards and training. All participants in the Annual Conference are IADLEST members.

The Annual Conference in Boston is attended by the Directors of Standards of Police Academies from 40 States of the United States of America as well as the Directors of Police and Public Safety Academies from 18 countries around the world, among which the Directors of Police and Public Safety Academies from Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia etc..

As announced, from July 2017, Kosovo Academy for Public Safety entered in the accreditation process by IADLEST and finally on May 15, 2018, the Academy received the announcement from IADLEST for International Accreditation of Kosovo Academy for Public Safety for a period of three years, until May 14, 2021 (click here: http://www.aksp-ks.net/?page=2,4,598, http://aksp-ks.net/?page=1,4,603)

During the Annual Conference in Boston, at the IADLEST Executive Board meeting and at the meeting of International Academies participating in the IADLEST Conference, IADLEST President, Dan Zivkovich, handed over to the General Director of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, Ismail Smakiqi, the Accreditation Certificate, Accreditation Plaque as well as the original official letter of accreditation notice from IADLEST.

In these two plenary sessions, in the ceremonial part of the Conference, President Zivkovich informed the attendees with the international accreditation process of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, which is the first accreditation of an International Academic Member of IADLEST. Mr. Zivkovich on the occasion of submitting the Accreditation Certificate, the Accreditation Plaque and the official letter of the Accreditation Notice from IADLEST, read the texts of these documents where it is stated as follows:

Accreditation Plaque:

This hereby recognizes that the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety has demonstrated the highest standard of professionalism and is therefore recognized as an IADLEST Accredited Law Enforcement Academy 15 May 2018

Accreditation Certificate:

Accredited Law Enforcement Academy

This is to acknowledge that Kosovo Academy of Public Safety is a Accredited Law Enforcement Academy and has successfully completed all requirements and for this certification through the

International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST)

An international association of Peace Officer Standards and Training and Low Enforcement Academy Training Directors.

Valid through May 14, 2021

Michael N. Becar, Executive Director, IADLEST  Daniel R. Zivkovich, President, IADLEST

In his speech, Director Smakiqi thanked the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training - IADLEST for the International Accreditation of the Academy and expressed satisfaction that the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety is the first Academy to receive the international accreditation from IADLEST.

During his speech, Director Smakiqi said that he is pleased and proud of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, the Kosovo Police and other public safety agencies, as well as the new Kosovo state to hear from you that: "the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety has successfully fulfilled the requirements to be awarded the distinction of being an Accredited Law Enforcement Academy by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST). "

In particular, we are happy and proud that “your Academy is joining an elite group dedicated to excellence in delivering criminal justice training worldwide. Your academy’s policies, procedures, processes, facilities and personnel exemplify the very best in our profession. This accreditation entitles you to display the IADLEST Accredited Academy logo and statement in your literature and at your facilities."

Further, Director Smakiqi talked about the difficulties and challenges that the Academy and the Kosovo Police has undergone, until to the present stage of recognizing the merits of the Academy and the Kosovo Police, which is recognized as the most reliable institution not only in the country, but also in the region.

Praising the work of the Kosovo Police, Director Smakiqi expressed the satisfaction about the announcement he received during the IADLEST Conference that Colonel Taibe Canolli Brajshori has received the First Prize from the Women's World Police Association.

Director Smakiqi for the Academy's successes thanked ICITAP Kosovo Program, which at all stages of the Academy's development was the main partner and not only, was also the Academy's main supporter, donor and principal advisor.

There is a large number of US names from ICITAP who have left indelible footprints at the Academy and today I would like to thank especially Ms. Drita Perezic of ICITAP for the incredibly valuable contribution to the Academy and to the initiative at the recent Conference in Nashville, Tennessee and of the IADLEST Deputy Director David Harvey for the possibility of international accreditation of the Academy, which today, after a year of work and tireless dedication of Academy staff and ICITAP, became a reality.

At the meeting of the International Academies participating at the IADLEST Conference, seniors were interested about the KAPS accreditation process, with whom Director Smakiqi and Ms. Perezic responded to many interests.

In a special session of the police women's leadership at the IADLEST Conference, as the first prize laureate from the International Women's Police Association was invited for speech  Colonel Taibe Canolli Brajshori, who thanked the participants for the congratulations for the award and talked about the challenges Kosovo Police and especially police women have passed through.

The US Embassy in Prishtina has also congratulated the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety for this so important accreditation.  

Today the conference continues its work on its third day