15/03/2024

The fourth live meeting of experts in the use of force and tactical medicine tactics and techniques was held at the Agency for Education and Professional Training on March 11-15, 2024. The meeting, a part of the Erasmus+ project Development of Joint Curriculum for First Responders on the Use of Force and First Aid Tactical Procedures (FIRST-TAC), is jointly implemented by the Croatian Police Academy "Prvi hrvatski redarstvenik", as the project leader, the Agency for Education and Professional Training, the Lithuanian Police School and the Slupsk Police School from Poland.

The goal of the meeting in Mostar was to complete the curricula for developing the skills of police officers in the use of force and tactical medicine. The experts completed the preparations of training programmes with the detailed descriptions of exercises and guidelines for the instructors. The curricula stipulate holding online preparatory phases too for repeating theoretical knowledge, which is why the materials for independent learning of trainees were drafted at the meetings in Croatia, Lithuania, and Poland.

The FIRST-TAC project will continue in May, when the first training courses are announced to take place at the Croatian Academy, and then at the other academies too. It is going to be by the new curricula with six trainees-police officers each from Croatia, Lithuania, Poland and BiH, The project will be completed at the end of April next year.

Marko Vujević, Director of the Agency for Education and Professional Training said he was proud to be part of the project that will contribute to the strengthening of police capacities through the development of modern curricula. "In this project, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only one that is not a member of the EU, but we strive for it. These days we have heard positive signals from Brussels about the opening of accession negotiations. We are satisfied with the partnership with your academies and we believe in a quality exchange of knowledge" said Vujević.

The representatives of the Lithuanian and Polish delegations, Mindaugas Bilus and Michal Jaskowski, who are in BiH for the first time, said they were impressed by the city and its natural beauty, but also by the facilities, equipment, and other resources at AEPTM. There are many presentations and materials prepared so far, they said, which will be of great use to everyone involved in teaching programs.

Aleksndar Čubrilo, on behalf of the Croatian police academy, said that the FIRST-TAC project brought something new to all participating academies, including an important international dimension. The AEPTM professional representatives, Čubrilo emphasized, have added great value to the project through their work and dedication.

As the Erasmus+ programme includes cultural exchange as well, AEPTM organized a tour of the historical sights of Mostar and nature trips for the participants, most of whom have been to Mostar and Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first time.