The joint European Union and Council of Europe action “Enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro” organized two training sessions for police middle management staff of the Regional Centre “North” on 26-27 September in Bijelo Polje, gathering representatives of general police and crime police units from towns of Andrijevica, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Gusinje, Kolasin, Mojkovac and Petnjica. The training was aimed at familiarising the participants with the new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The objective of these SOPs designed with the technical assistance of Council of Europe specialists is to help police officers to better uphold human rights in their daily duties. They are intended to bring the Police Administration's regulatory and operational frameworks in line with the current international standards and best practices. Adhering to these standards allows the Police to maintain a high degree of professionalism and respect for human rights.

The overall purpose of the training was to ensure that police officers act consistently when executing their powers and duties, thus reducing the risk of exceeding their authority or committing wrongdoing. This not only promotes law enforcement accountability, but also strengthens public trust in the police force.

The action “Enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro” is part of the broader joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, implemented by the Council of Europe. This initiative plays a crucial role in supporting Montenegro's efforts to meet European human rights standards, contributing to the country's ongoing reforms in the justice and law enforcement sectors.