RAMALLAH, September 28, 2011 (WAFA) - Germany has provided a specialized training program in the field of document security and document examination for 16 officers of the Palestinian civil police and four members of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, Wednesday said a press release.

After having successfully passed this program, all participants were graduated with the expertise of “expert for second control level” as well as trainer for basic document security courses.

The graduation ceremony took place Wednesday at the Ministry of Interior in Ramallah in attendance of Minister of Interior Said Abu Ali and the head of the Representative Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, Goetz Lingenthal.

The German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) was represented by the director general for international cooperation, Eckehardt Wache.

The training program has been implemented by experts of the German Federal Police in cooperation with the Palestinian civil police on the basis of a “train-the-trainer” concept.

During the courses, participants were trained in identifying document fraud, specialized knowledge related to document security features, passport production and forensic examinations related to document fraud.

The cooperation in the field of combating forgery of documents between the German Federal Police and the Palestinian civil police started at the end of 2010 and is part of a comprehensive approach which includes in addition to a package of basic and specialized trainings as well as the delivery of special equipment to the civil police.

Since then, as an outcome of this cooperation, approximately 110 officers of the Palestinian police and servants of the Ministry of Interior have been trained in 12 basic and specialized training courses so far. Germany will continue this cooperation, said the release.

Within the graduation ceremony, Lingenthal underlined: “The training of Palestinian security forces is an indispensable requirement for a functioning Palestinian state. This training program will further strengthen the capabilities of Palestinian civil police on a sustainable basis especially in combating forgery of documents.”

Germany hosted an international donor conference in Berlin on 24 June 2008, the Berlin Conference in Support of Palestinian Civil Security and the Rule of Law, to support the development of a functioning police force and judicial system in the Palestinian territories.

As a contribution and a conclusion of this conference, Germany pledged a 15 million euro aid package.

The German support to the Palestinian civil police is covering infrastructure and equipment projects as well and is implemented in close cooperation and coordination with EUPOL COPPS.

M.S.