B&H Border Police Officers Complete U.S.-Sponsored Course

The United States Embassy is pleased to announce that 24 B&H Border Police Officers successfully completed the Border Control Management (BCM) course on January 24 in Sarajevo.  This 10 day training program was aimed at strengthening detection and mitigation strategies employed by Border Police Officers in response to potential terrorist threats to land borders in B&H.  The Border Control Management program is as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance Program (ATA).

The program was led by U.S. trainers and consisted of lectures, discussions, and problem solving activities to help participants identify and address border management issues. Various strategies to counter possible terrorist acts directed towards land borders were introduced, including use of state-of-the-art surveillance, sensor and inspection technologies. Techniques such as border-wide communications, public information and affairs, and integrity management were emphasized throughout the course, and the need for humane yet effective procedures for all intending to cross through borders was highlighted.

Participants were required to apply their knowledge of threats and strategic responses to potential tactical situations, and the training culminated in an extensive tabletop exercise. Such concrete methods ensured that the skills and techniques taught throughout the course could be easily applied to the work conducted by the Border Police Office, resulting in greater protection against terrorist attacks at the borders of BiH.

The graduation was attended by Vinko Dumancic, the B&H Border Police Director, and Robert Karpowski, Deputy Regional Security Officer of the U.S. Embassy Sarajevo. Mr. Dumancic told graduates: “Only with competently trained staff we can face growing challenges in border control and struggle against all kinds of cross border crime, especially terrorism. We are conscious of the fact that we must follow the practices of the contemporary border police around the world, and we are aware of all of the criteria and standards that we still have to meet. In that context, I would like to thank the U.S. Embassy on helping us complete many specialized trainings, seeing at as a great investment in the BiH Border Police. I am convinced that Border Police Officers will know how to utilize that knowledge, and improve their work.“

The U.S. Department of State sponsored the training as part of continuing cooperation with B&H authorities on counter terrorism efforts.  The Border Control Management program is one of at least six ATA courses being held in Bosnia and Herzegovina this year. For more information regarding the ATA program please visit the ATA website: http://www.state.gov/m/ds/terrorism/c8583.htm

(Source: Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy Sarajevo)