The Multiplicity of Languages as Professional Competence for

the Ministry of Internal Affairs Personnel:

the promise and the challenge

Police Assistant Superintendent

Dania-Lara Trofil

interconnected digital XXI century world, interconnected digital XXI century world, collaboration and communication - the collaboration and communication - the skills of the century. skills of the century.

intercultural communication skills, intercultural communication skills,

Reading between Reading between the lines. the lines.

Hints, Hints, euphemisms,euphemisms,

to err intentionally to err intentionally (ironically) makes (ironically) makes us look more us look more natural. natural.

to be efficient and to be efficient and natural in using the natural in using the language, as the language, as the two important two important features of features of communication are communication are efficiency and efficiency and adequacyadequacy

The Institute of Studies for Public The Institute of Studies for Public OrderOrder

A rewarding challenge: how the multiplicity of languages could strengthen European police cooperation

Language as a Professional Language as a Professional CompetenceCompetence

Each civil servant must have a good Each civil servant must have a good command of one international language command of one international language and those working with Border Police and those working with Border Police or International Relations Units will or International Relations Units will have a very good command of at least have a very good command of at least one foreign languageone foreign language

The socio-economic realities, but also the The socio-economic realities, but also the geo-political ones have imposed the geo-political ones have imposed the alignment of the law enforcement institutions alignment of the law enforcement institutions to to a a European European common frameworkcommon framework, a process , a process that comes with a new approach even when that comes with a new approach even when we speak about the crime phenomenon. we speak about the crime phenomenon.

Along with the 4 freedoms comes an Along with the 4 freedoms comes an unfortunate 5unfortunate 5thth one-the transborder crime = one-the transborder crime =

Police cooperation= good command of Police cooperation= good command of English but also good communication skillsEnglish but also good communication skills

HenceHence, the necessity to answer the , the necessity to answer the challenges posed by the various fields of challenges posed by the various fields of criminality and consequantly the police criminality and consequantly the police cooperation enhancement are solid cooperation enhancement are solid arguments to further train the MIA personnel arguments to further train the MIA personnel in aquiring language skills in order to be able in aquiring language skills in order to be able to represent the institution and to act to represent the institution and to act efficiently with European police officers.efficiently with European police officers.

Romanian ENU HQ

Department for Foreign Languages and International Missions Training

Institute of Studies for Public Order

Sos. Oltenitei 158-160, Romaniadania.trofil.isop@gmail.com

• with an over 63 - year tradition, The Institute of Studies for Public Order (I.S.P.O.), under the subordination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (M.A.I.) is acknowledged as a training institute with an integrative role in providing professional development courses and programmes to the M.A.I personnel, according to their training needs

I.S.P.O. is the main training provider that I.S.P.O. is the main training provider that integrates both the foundation and further integrates both the foundation and further professional training, over 4,000 civil professional training, over 4,000 civil servants within M. I. Aservants within M. I. A.. being here trained being here trained annuallyannually

ISPOISPO

a wide range of courses which have addressed a wide range of courses which have addressed both the both the managerial and executive staff: managerial and executive staff: foundation, further and foundation, further and professional training in foreign languages, information professional training in foreign languages, information technology, physical education, shooting, training and technology, physical education, shooting, training and selection of M.A.I. personnel in order to take part in selection of M.A.I. personnel in order to take part in international missions-led activities, as well as other types international missions-led activities, as well as other types of training sessions required and organised in tight of training sessions required and organised in tight collaboration with similar institutions from Romania and collaboration with similar institutions from Romania and abroadabroad, such as:, such as: project management, preventing and project management, preventing and fighting corruptionfighting corruption,, training sessions on combating training sessions on combating torture torture and other forms of inhuman and degrading treatment, and other forms of inhuman and degrading treatment, preventing discrimination in conjunction with preventing discrimination in conjunction with representatives of Nongovernmental Organizationsrepresentatives of Nongovernmental Organizations..

Foreign Languages and International Foreign Languages and International Missions Training DepartmentMissions Training Department

11 11 foreign language trainers (English, French, foreign language trainers (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian)German, Italian, Spanish, Russian)

basic, further and specialised training basic, further and specialised training programmes which address the MIA personnel’s programmes which address the MIA personnel’s training needs in the field of foreign languages. training needs in the field of foreign languages.

The specialised training for candidates who are The specialised training for candidates who are to be deployed in multinational missions, under to be deployed in multinational missions, under UNO, EU, OSCE and NATO represents a UNO, EU, OSCE and NATO represents a distinct domaindistinct domain

On average, at least two modules of each On average, at least two modules of each category of courses are developed yearly category of courses are developed yearly according to the beneficiaries’ training needs according to the beneficiaries’ training needs and Romania’s commitments at the MIA and Romania’s commitments at the MIA level, offering the participants the opportunity level, offering the participants the opportunity to acquire and improve foreign language to acquire and improve foreign language competence, but also to acquire special competence, but also to acquire special vocabulary targeting specific lines of work, vocabulary targeting specific lines of work, necessary for their professional performancenecessary for their professional performance..

A basic foreign language course – 2 months/ 6h/day= A basic foreign language course – 2 months/ 6h/day= 240 h -4 competencies240 h -4 competencies

A further training language course A further training language course

(Admission test-A2) – 1 month/ / 6h/day = 120 h -3 (Admission test-A2) – 1 month/ / 6h/day = 120 h -3 competencies (MAX 16 trainees -2 training sessions/a competencies (MAX 16 trainees -2 training sessions/a year)year)

A specialised training language course (Admission test-A specialised training language course (Admission test-B1) -3 weeks=90 h -2 competencies (MAX 16 trainees -2 B1) -3 weeks=90 h -2 competencies (MAX 16 trainees -2 training sessions/a year)training sessions/a year)

Trainee individual study (2h/day) is always included Trainee individual study (2h/day) is always included within the curriculumwithin the curriculum

International Missions CoursesInternational Missions Courses

Since 1997 I.S.P.O. started to train Romanian police Since 1997 I.S.P.O. started to train Romanian police officers volunteers for Peacekeeping missions. officers volunteers for Peacekeeping missions. Since 2007, on the request of the E.U. we have been Since 2007, on the request of the E.U. we have been training police officers for EU Civilian missions. At the training police officers for EU Civilian missions. At the request of Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability, request of Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability, I.S.P.O. trained approximately 100 police officers per I.S.P.O. trained approximately 100 police officers per year for Police missions under the EU umbrella.year for Police missions under the EU umbrella.

I.S.P.O. graduates took part in almost all CSDP I.S.P.O. graduates took part in almost all CSDP missions including EUPOL Afghanistan which is missions including EUPOL Afghanistan which is considered to be the most difficult CSDP mission so considered to be the most difficult CSDP mission so far.far.

selection English/French (B2) test for selection English/French (B2) test for admission to the course + professional admission to the course + professional criteria to be met (MAX 15 trainees -2 criteria to be met (MAX 15 trainees -2 training sessions/a year)training sessions/a year)

3 competencies – foreign language 3 competencies – foreign language (UNSAAT Exam –centered) (UNSAAT Exam –centered)

- police tactics - police tactics

- survival techniques- survival techniques