Part of resources needed for Bosnia police force raised at Dublin meeting

THE Irish head of the International Police Task Force in Bosnia, Commissioner Peter Fitzgerald, raised about a third of the resources…

THE Irish head of the International Police Task Force in Bosnia, Commissioner Peter Fitzgerald, raised about a third of the resources he was seeking for the mission at a conference in Dublin this weekend.

Commissioner Fitzgerald, a Garda assistant commissioner, was in Dublin trying to raise about £62 million - in cash or other forms of assistance - to equip and retrain the police in Bosnia.

Delegations from 34 countries, as well as UN and EU groups, were in Dublin Castle to hear Commissioner Fitzgerald outline his plans to build the new force in Bosnia Herzegovina.

The US government offered £10.6 million and smaller cash contributions came from a handful of countries. Other states offered to set up training programmes for senior Bosnian police officers, but most delegations said they needed time to study the plans.

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The Irish Government offered to set up a two week training programme for up to 18 police officers at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary.

Commissioner Fitzgerald said afterwards that he was not disappointed with the response. The conference was an "information meeting" where he was able to outline his needs to the delegations. They needed time to consider the plans and his request for resources would be followed up with each country later.

He added that while cash contributions allowed "the greatest flexibility", all offers were welcome. "If the Germans offer us 50 Volkswagen Golfs to use as patrol vans, we'll be very happy to accept them."

Commissioner Fitzgerald has a 1,700 strong force in Bosnia, made up of police officers from 34 countries, including about 40 gardai.

The Commissioner laid out an elaborate programme, explaining the equipment needs of the unarmed force, which range from vehicles, radios and new uniforms to the machines required to set up a forensic laboratory.

But he said the major challenge facing the force was training the local police forces. Previously, most local officers have been concerned with the security of the state rather than serving people, he said. "Now we have make sure they understand what democratic policing is about. We have to start at the very beginning."

Commissioner Fitzgerald made it clear that he misses Ireland, and does not plan to stay in Bosnia longer than he agreed to serve there. "I'm going to remain there until the 31st of January 1997, and then I'll be on the first flight out on the 1st of February," he said. "My job is here and my family and friends are here. My life is here, and I'm looking forward to getting back to it."