Palestinian Police and Public Prosecution visit Finland

2011-09-22

Ramallah, 21 September 2011 - EUPOL COPPS Prosecution Team, in cooperation with the Palestinian Attorney General’s Office, Palestinian Civil Police, the Crisis Management Centre of Finland, and various Finnish Police and Prosecution authorities, organised a study trip to Finland for a Palestinian Police-Prosecution team composed of three district level prosecutors and three police officers.

During the study trip the Finnish model of Police-Prosecution cooperation in criminal investigations was shown to the Palestinian visitors. A special emphasis was placed on the coordination between the Police and Prosecution in investigating serious narcotics-related crime.

The main part of this successful study trip was conducted in Jarvenpaa district, with presentations being given by local police, prosecution and court experts. Visits were also conducted to the Office of the Prosecutor General, the National Police Board’s headquarters, and the National Bureau of Investigations.

The study trip, co-funded by the EU TAIEX programme and EUPOL COPPS, is part of the EUPOL COPPS Police-Prosecution cooperation project which supports the further implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed one year ago by the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).

The visit was very well received by the participants, and a report of their findings and observations will now be prepared for the Attorney General and the Chief of Police. Subsequently, this report will be introduced to the district level Police and Prosecution colleagues of the Palestinian participants in joint Police-Prosecution workshops facilitated by the AGO, the PCP and EUPOL COPPS Prosecution Team.