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Regional Webinar on Integrity, Ethics and Accountability in Law Enforcement

Panama, 18 September 2020. The UNODC- WCO-INTERPOL Airport Communication Project – AIRCOP , funded in the Caribbean by the European Union and the Government of Canada, places immense importance on the integrity of its Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces (JAITF) across the globe and actively seeks to build strong mechanisms, processes and capacities that contribute to the highest standards of accountability across the AIRCOP network.

Building on our close relationship with the CARICOM Implementation Agency from Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the CBSI Connect Project, AIRCOP sought cooperation with the UNODC Justice Section, the UNODC CRIMJUST Project, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (UNOHCHR), and the Independent Investigations Commission of Jamaica (INDECOM) to develop and deliver a 3-day, 10-hour regional virtual training on Integrity, Ethics and Accountability in Law Enforcement, going beyond the scope of the AIRCOP project to cater to all law-enforcement agencies and ministries of national security in 18 CARICOM Member States and Associate Countries.
Law enforcement agencies are entrusted with extensive powers with which to enforce the law and earning the trust and the confidence of the communities they serve is vital to the successful and effective realization of their duties. Such trust and confidence are earned through demonstrations of high ethical standards, integrity and accountability. It is therefore imperative that officers of the law have the training and capacity to make appropriate decisions and to act responsibly and with integrity, even in situations of immense pressure and tension, and that command and control structures are in place to prevent and to respond to inappropriate behavior, including illegal or disproportionate use of force.
The training examined various aspects of law enforcement, including the basic standards of law enforcement conduct, institutional integrity and the potential for corruption, and the use of force and lethal vs. less-lethal weapons, while maintaining a central focus on the integrated pillars of human rights and non-discrimination and promoting strong leadership and accountability.

Specifically, the training sought to:

-         Strengthen the human rights-based and non-discriminatory approach to law enforcement;

-         Enhance the capacity for ethical and accountable leadership amongst AIRCOP JAITFs and law enforcement officers;

-         Improve understanding of corruption and its impacts;

-         Promote awareness of the role of each law enforcement officer in ensuring a culture of integrity and accountability in their respective agencies;

-         Improve understanding of the concept of Use of Force and its lawful and unlawful application.

UNODC extends deep appreciation to each of our partners in the realization of this training, as well as to the European Union and the Government of Canada for the continued support to the implementation of the AIRCOP Project in the region.