Teaching, management, exchanges and personal experience regarding public order and crisis management were the main topics of a course held in the Gendarmerie Nationale Tactical Training Centre in France on 19th to 23rd September 2011.
The overall goal of this activity was to improve the efficiency of exchange of information and experience related to major public order events in national, European and International contexts.
The course attracted twenty seven participants from 20 Member States plus Switzerland to reflect and share an overview of major events public order, to evaluate and prepare 'Train the Trainers' issues, to focus on key steps including decision making process issues, to introduce and share some “best Practice” experiences and to develop a better understanding amongst European partners.
Lecturers with various experiences and from different countries delivered and hightlighted several conferences aimed at 'European aspects of the Common Security and Defence Policy', an introduction to 'New adversaries in Europe'. Lessons learned in the French Antilles (2009), in major European public order events such as Göteborg (Sweden 2001) and Belfast (Northern Ireland 2005), in cases of football related violence such as in the Czech Republic and International events like Ivory Coast (2011) were explained and highly appreciated by all. Other conferences were based on public order training courses implemented by the Gendarmerie Nationale Officers College (at command level), and for public order and tactics units. In addition, a special lecture was given, that dealt with the specific topic of 'Anti-nuclear issues'.
A special outdoor session recreated and displayed a Gendarmerie Nationale's training course on specific public order situation: during the session participants got the opportunity to part take, react, share and exchange on this particular aspect of teaching real practices.
The course manager, Lieutenant-colonel Renault, Gendarmerie Nationale Tactical Training Centre - Special Projects and International Department Commander, encouraged participants to share their national best practices and experiences. At the end of the activity, all the participants recognized the added value of their participation and the many benefits of CEPOL courses.
The course was organised and hosted by the Gendarmerie Nationale Tactical Training Centre in Saint-Astier. Western France.
