The Latvian State Police in cooperation with the Provision State Agency has launched the Internal Security fund 2021-2027 (ISF) Project No. VP/IDF/2024/5 “Strengthening the response mobility and anti-terrorism capabilities of the State Police by creating a practical training center”. The total financing of the Project is more than 10 million euros, most of which is financed from the funds of the ISF.
The State Police is an institution that, in response to received information, is one of the first to arrive at the scene of the incident, therefore every police officer must be ready to respond to events of various nature, including initially to terrorism and the threat of mass disorder, until the arrival of special task forces.
The general goal of the implemented Project is to increase the anti-terrorism efficiency of the Latvian State Police by strengthening the mobile response and investigation capabilities, evaluating and improving the training content and providing a modern theoretical and practical learning environment, using innovative training methods and equipment to increase tactical skills and operational efficiency of Police officers. Thus, the effectiveness of response capabilities will be increased, as well as public protection and internal security of the country will be improved and strengthened as a whole.
In order to achieve this, the Project will implement several measures and activities, including developing the Internal Security Academy's complex development construction project in the minimum composition with the overall visualization in 3D, building infrastructure with an urban environment effect for strengthening the State Police response mobility and anti-terrorism capabilities, etc.
In a practical training environment accordingly after modern trends, police officers will be provided with the conditions to effectively learn complex competencies, improve tactical skills and strengthen inter-institutional cooperation. It is planned to buy a shooting training range, build a climbing wall and a tactical car range, create stationary and non-stationary interactive modules in the training center. For example, the construction of a real street intersection, training grounds of an apartment, a cafe, an office, a store, a labyrinth and an operational control center, as well as simulation structures such as a gas station, a train wagon and a tunnel, a basement and a railway station. It will provide the training participants with the closest possible effect of the real environment, performing various tasks and simulations of events, thus strengthening and increasing counter-terrorism, mobile response and investigation capabilities.
Taking into account the dynamic development of information and communication technologies, the increasing number of criminal offenses in the cyber environment, the constantly changing geopolitical situation and its impact on the field of internal security of Latvia, as well as to promote a common understanding of police officers on responding to various types of crimes, to strengthen cooperation and international experience at a high level risk security situations, the Project plans to organize not only annual training cycles in the cyber field and for the improvement of investigative work, but also international conferences, where Latvian and foreign experts will draw attention to and discuss the current trends in the field of internal security.
Emphasizing the importance of innovative teaching methods and improving the curriculum, the Project also plans to improve the study programs of the Internal Security Academy, develop informal education programs, organize trainings and analyze the good practices of foreign law enforcement agencies, as well as study the standards, technical equipment, implemented training, etc. of their practical training centers.
The Latvian State Police and the Latvian State Police College are responsible for the implementation of the Project measures, involving the Provision State Agency as a cooperation partner.
The Project is implemented within the 2021-2027 planning period of the Internal Security Fund, whose leading institution in Latvia is the Ministry of Interior. The Project No. VP/IDF/2024/5 “Strengthening the response mobility and anti-terrorism capabilities of the State Police by creating a practical training center” has a total funding of 10 598 882 euros, of which he European Union's Internal Security Fund funding is 7 949 162 euros, and the State budget is 2 649 720 euros. The implementation time of the Project is from April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2029.