Assessment of police training needs and practical tools for enhancing the work with Roma and/or Traveller communities
DEVELOPED FOR THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
BY DEZIDERIU GERGELY AND THEODOROS ALEXANDRIDIS

Introduction

The Council of Europe is considering various ways to enhance police training on non-discrimination and Roma and Traveller issues, including by developing a Toolkit for law enforcement as a resource pack to provide guidance, knowledge and information for the police working with Roma and Traveller communities across Europe.

We would like to better understand your police officers’ practical training needs in policing Roma and/or Traveller communities and have your views on how to better frame a toolkit for law enforcement officials. To that end, we have prepared the following survey which would enable us to assess the training needs more accurately.

In order to ensure the optimum level of coordination, we would encourage you to appoint a liaison officer who will be authorised with filling in the present survey and who will correspond with the Council of Europe’s experts in charge of drafting the toolkit on all matters (such as clarifications / suggestions regarding specific aspects of the toolkit) that might arise.

Training methods for law enforcement

What type of (initial and continuing) training methods do you think police officers benefit from the most? (Check all that apply)	YES	NO	Don’t KNOW
Lecture	X
Group Discussion	X
Case studies	X
Video presentation	X
Internet-on-line	X
Role Simulations	X
On-the-Job-training	X
Using practical toolkits	X
Using police service manuals	X
Other (please mention in this line)

Toolkit format

Which do you think you be the ideal format for the toolkit? (Please grade each option below by ticking under the corresponding box)	1 Optimal	2 Good	3 Not good
An academic-like manual with extensive references		X
A concise, short manual drafted along the lines of police service manuals	X
A binder-like toolkit where each topic would be set out as a different module and the relevant pages would be easily replaceable	X
An extensive e-toolkit with links to online references	X
A short, concise e-toolkit with links to the most important online references		X
Other (please mention in this line)

Toolkit focus for law enforcement

What type of information do you think police officers would benefit from the most? (Check all that apply)	YES	NO	Don’t KNOW
International human rights standards relevant for the police	X
Council of Europe and EU human rights standards relevant for the police	X
National level human rights standards relevant for the police	X
Cases solved by the European Court of Justice related to discrimination and racially motivated violence	X
Cases solved by the European Court of Human Rights related to discrimination			X
Cases solved at national level by Courts of law related to discrimination and racially motivated violence	X
Theoretical explanation of legal standards relevant for the police			X
Practical explanation of legal concept by examples (case studies)	X
Implementation of non-discrimination at police level operations	X
Explanation of vulnerability, vulnerable groups and specific needs	X
Consideration of needs of vulnerable groups by State authorities	X
Specificity of Roma and/or Traveller communities in Europe	X
Specific challenges faced by Roma and/or Travellers in Europe	X
Roma and/or Traveller communities at national level (differences, groups, cultural backgrounds, socio-education status)	X
Good practice in community policing including Roma and/or Traveller communities	X
Other (please mention in this line)

Potential topics to be included and developed in the toolkit for law enforcement

How important do you believe are the following training topics for the police?	Very important	Somewhat important	Not important	Not sure
Council of Europe standards on the use of force by police and discrimination	X
Council of Europe standards on prohibition of discrimination and the link with the police work	X
European case law related to police and human rights violations	X
National standards on the use of force by the police	X
National case law related to police and human rights violations	X
Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights on cases involving the police and minorities		X
Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights on cases involving Roma and/or Traveller victims		X
Policing ethnic minorities including Roma and/or Traveller communities	X
Situation of the Roma and/or Traveller community and effective working methods with Roma and/or Traveller communities	X
Factors relevant for understanding discrimination	X
Importance of awareness and effective communication in working with ethnic minorities including Roma and/or Traveller communities	X
The European standards on non-discrimination (Direct and indirect discrimination, Harassment, Victimisation, Order to discriminate)	X
The burden of proof in discrimination cases and other human rights cases in connection with the right to life, the right to be free from degrading treatment	X
The national standards prohibiting discrimination	X
Council of Europe and OSCE standards on policing minorities, including Roma and/or Travellers	X
Obligations for State authorities including the police related to discrimination	X
Addressing cases of discrimination against ethnic minorities, including Roma and/or Travellers, relevant for the police	X
Considering particular needs by the police of victims of crimes motivated by discrimination grounds (including racially motivated)	X
Hate crimes and relevant aspects for the police work	X
Council of Europe and EU standards on hate crimes and racism	X
National standards on hate crimes	X
How to identify and investigate hate crimes by the police	X
Obligations of the law enforcement in connection with investigating hate crimes and racially motivated crimes	X
Examples of good practice in addressing discrimination and hate crimes by the police	X
Examples of good practice in working with Roma and/or Traveller communities across Europe	X
Other (please mention in this line)

Perceived issues in relation to the police, human rights and Roma and/or Traveller issues

Please indicate the extent to which you believe each of the following items is a problem in police work	Not a problem	Moderate problem	Significant problem	No opinion
Lack of information about European standards on non-discrimination		X
Lack of information about national standards on non-discrimination		X
Lack of awareness of cases of discrimination addressed by the European Court of Human Rights against various States		X
Lack of awareness of cases of discrimination addressed by the European Court of Human Rights against your State			X
Lack of awareness of cases of discrimination against Roma and/or Travellers addressed by the European Court of Human Rights		X
Lack of awareness of cases of discrimination involving the police or the judiciary addressed by the European Court of Human Rights			X
Lack of awareness of cases of discrimination addressed by national courts		X
Lack of awareness of cases of discrimination against ethnic minorities, including the Roma and/or Traveller relevant for the police		X
Lack of information about European standards on hate crimes		X
Lack of experience in identifying and effectively investigating racially motivated crimes		X
Lack of experience in identifying and effectively investigating discrimination		X
Ability to identify factors leading to discrimination		X
Ability to effectively establish links and connections with Roma and/or Traveller communities	X
Ability to effectively communicate with Roma and/or Traveller communities	X
Lack of education of Roma and/or Traveller community members		X
Lack of clear structures among Roma and/or Traveller communities		X
Lack of clear representation levels of Roma and/or Traveller communities	X
Lack of communication from Roma and/or Traveller community representatives		X
Lack of communication from Roma and/or Traveller community members		X
Ability to understand challenges faced by Roma and/or Traveller communities		X
Ability to adapt to different needs of different individuals among Roma and/or Traveller communities		X
Ability to identify needs of Roma and/or Traveller community members		X
Lack of dialogue with Roma and/or Traveller communities		X
Interaction with Roma and/or Traveller communities limited to police operations and interventions		X
Other (please mention in this line)

Dimensions of challenges faced by Roma and/or Traveller communities

Based on your police force’s institutional experience and in light of the challenges faced by police officers in policing Roma and/or Traveller communities, what do you see as the most pressing issues faced by the Roma and/or Traveller communities?	Never	Seldom	Usually	Always
Discrimination before Courts		X
Discrimination before public institutions		X
Discrimination in access to education		X
Discrimination in access to healthcare		X
Discrimination in access to social, pension and disability insurance rights		X
Discrimination in access to employment			X
Discrimination in police procedures and abusive treatment		X
Lack of registration	X
Lack of identity documentation	X
Unemployment			X
Lack of access to decent housing			X
Property ownership			X
Lack of housing security and evictions			X
Family law relations			X
Lack of access to information			X
Illiteracy			X
Other (please mention in this line)

Introduction

Training methods for law enforcement

What type of (initial and continuing) training methods do you think police officers benefit from the most? (Check all that apply)

YES

NO

Don’t KNOW

Toolkit format

Which do you think you be the ideal format for the toolkit? (Please grade each option below by ticking under the corresponding box)

1

Optimal

2

Good

3

Not good

Toolkit focus for law enforcement

What type of information do you think police officers would benefit from the most? (Check all that apply)

YES

NO

Don’t KNOW

Potential topics to be included and developed in the toolkit for law enforcement

How important do you believe are the following training topics for the police?

Very important

Somewhat important

Not important

Not sure

Perceived issues in relation to the police, human rights and Roma and/or Traveller issues

Please indicate the extent to which you believe each of the following items is a problem in police work

Not a problem

Moderate problem

Significant problem

No opinion

Dimensions of challenges faced by Roma and/or Traveller communities

Based on your police force’s institutional experience and in light of the challenges faced by police officers in policing Roma and/or Traveller communities, what do you see as the most pressing issues faced by the Roma and/or Traveller communities?

Never

Seldom

Usually

Always