UNOCI trains Ivorian police officers on democratic crowd control

The camp of the Anti-Riot Brigade in Yopougon, on 29 April 2015, hosted the closing ceremony of a training programme on democratic crowd control organised by the United Nations Police (UNPOL) which started on 27 April 2015.


Presided over by the Deputy Commissioner of UNPOL, Jean Marc Lafon, the ceremony was attended by heads of the training sessions of UNPOL and the representative of the Ivorian Police, Lieutenant-Colonel Lancina Ouattara.

Addressing the ceremony, the head of UNPOL's Law and Order Cell, Police Captain Anicet Adjovi, outlined the contents of the training programme, which included joint practical exerciseS on evacuation from a polling station, crowd containment good offensive, reconnaissance and reduction of roadblocks, charging and breaking through roadblocks. Among the highlights of the closing ceremony were demonstrations by the Ivorian Anti-Riot and the Jordanian Formed Police Units of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire.

Speaking after the demonstrations, UNOCI's Deputy Police Commissioner, Jean Marc Lafon congratulated everyone who had been involved in the training programme. He urged members of the Ivorian Anti-Riot Brigade who had received the training to always carry out their duties with professionalism, especially when involved in crowd control operations, adding that even while trying to maintain order, they should also remember public liberties.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lacinan Ouattara, who declared the session officially closed, thanked UNPOL for their assistance and expressed the hope that there would be other such training programmes which would give Ivorian police officers the benefit of the experiences of UNOCI forces.