A two-day training course for law enforcement officers on processional safety and its impact on HIV-related services for people who use drugs has ended in Vinnytsia. The event was organized by Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs in partnership with the Programme Office in Ukraine of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The participants were final-year cadets. The purpose of the training was to prepare them for the challenges of their professional activities related to public health issues.

The training sessions were conducted by Serhii RUDYI, UNODC National Programme Officer in Ukraine, and Tetiana MATIUSHKOVA, Head of the International Cooperation Department of KhNUIA. They combined medical and legal aspects of the topic, used interactive methods, practical exercises and modern teaching approaches. This contributed the digestion of new knowledge, the systematization of existing experience and the formation of practical skills for future law enforcement officers.

During the training, cadets practised algorithms for interacting with HIV-infected individuals who use injection drugs and the procedure for providing first aid in case of overdose. They learned about safe methods for searching for illegal drug circulation, studied the normative legal acts regulating police activities in this area, as well as appropriate examples of investigative and trial practice.

Serhii RUDYI presented a package of measures for the prevention of HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis among people who use injection drugs, and emphasized the important role of law enforcement officers in responding to cases of overdose.

Tetiana MATIUSHKOVA paid participants' attention to the specifics of law enforcement in the field of countering drug crimes: ‘It is important to understand the limits of a police officer's discretionary powers. The public's trust in the law enforcement system depends on the legitimacy of decisions and actions.’

After completing the training modules, participants successfully passed post-training tests and received certificates.

Viktor VASYLENKO, First Vice-Rector of KhNUIA, gave the final speech, summarizing the event and highly appreciating the importance of the gained knowledge for the future practical activities of law enforcement officers. He thanked the UNODC Programme Office in Ukraine for its support and fruitful cooperation, expressing his hope for the continuation of joint training initiatives.