This week, between 10 and 15 May, the 17th criminal course of the Central European Police Academy (shorter CEPA or in German MEPA - Mitteleuropäische Polizeiakademie) is taking place at Debeli Rtič.

25 trainees from all eight CEPA member states (Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia) are taking part in this year's international training. The purpose of training organised and implemented by the Police Academy in cooperation with the Criminal Police Directorate at the General Police Directorate, is conveying, spreading and deepening the knowledge, skills and abilities required in combating in particular the international organised crime, and establishing mutual contacts for further cooperation and exchange of information and experiences.

At the opening of the training course in Slovenia, the participants were welcomed by Deputy director general of the police, Matjaž Šinkovec, and head of training and national coordinator of CEPA in Slovenia, Robert Uzar from Police Academy.

Assistant director of the Criminal Police Directorate, Robert Črepinko, then presented to the participants the structure of the Slovenian police and the tasks of the criminal service.

The programme continued at the Ljubljana Police Directorate, where participants were welcomed by the director of the Ljubljana Police Directorate,  Stanislav Vrečar and Head of organised crime division at the Ljubljana PD, Stojan Belšak. After formal work, seminar participants were acquainting themselves with the beauties of Slovenia ? they visited the Ljubljana caste, the virtual museum in the caste, and the old town of Ljubljana.

On the second day, the seminar started with the presentation of the tasks and cooperation with the police by the Head of Group of State Prosecutors Blanka Žgajnar from the Office of the State Prosecutor General of the Republic of Slovenia. Tatjana Mušič from CPD GPD presented to the participants the issues of juvenile crime, with emphasis on child sexual abuse.

Till the end of the training course, the participants will also deal with the issues of investigation of motor vehicle thefts, illegal arms trafficking, and criminal police measures for suppression of organised crime.

The three-month main criminal training course is taking place in all CEPA member states, the last one was held in Hungary. On 15 May, the participants will return to Budapest, where the training course will conclude with the award of diplomas on 29 May.