Winnipeg, MB, Canada: With the Russian invasion of Ukraine showing no signs of reprieve entering a second year, it is Ukrainian law enforcement on the frontlines who are in desperate need for training and support.
As of August 3rd, 2022, the Kiel Institute had tracked €93.8 billion ($99.8B USD) from 40 countries in financial, humanitarian, and military aid to Ukraine. €52.3 billion ($55.6B) had been specifically attributed to the United States.1
The ULET Group, a registered U.S. non-profit, dedicated to the support and training of law enforcement officers globally, recently launched their #TRAINUKRAINE Project. Their website states:
“As with most conflict zones, priority for funding falls on military and humanitarian efforts, but little to no support is given to the men and women who continue to serve their communities.
There are an estimated 40 million Ukrainians who are in desperate need of competent, professional, and well-trained law enforcement officers in their hometowns or cities.”2
In fact, most of the support for the National Police of Ukraine has come from NGOs and other police agencies around the world. Primarily, donations have been focused on procurement of life-saving equipment, such as ballistic armor and medical kits.
One of ULET’s recently completed projects involved the successful procurement of eight (8) Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) which will be utilized by the Kyiv Regional Police in patrolling the Chernobyl Isolation Zone. During the initial days of the Russian invasion, all vehicles and equipment utilized by the regional police force were destroyed, limiting their capacity to properly patrol and defend the area.
These efforts will be further assisted through the training of the Kyiv Regional Police in specialized training, specifically, short and long-range patrolling, vehicle interdiction, and counter-smuggling operations.
Several state sponsored programs, including ICITAP3 (United States) and IPP4 (Canada), have continued to deliver much needed training and support to various levels of Ukraine’s police services. Unfortunately, these programs have strict mandates and governmental oversight focused on national-level objectives creating a “training vacuum” that excludes line-level officers.
A senior liaison within the National Police of Ukraine shared this:
“One of our units recently responded to, what was thought to be, a typical DV (domestic violence) call. When they arrived, the husband walked out the front door with his wife in one hand and a live grenade in the other.”
He continued,
“Our officers are not trained for this… no police officers are trained for this. But we are in an unprecedented situation, and need specific training, to give our officers a chance.”
Another critical factor in delivery of training, or lack thereof, to Ukrainian police is the decentralization of efforts from stakeholders, lack of collaboration, and difficulty in delivering training through traditional online systems.
In response, a partnership was formed between the ULET Group and the International Law Enforcement Training Network (ILET). ILET is the largest collaborative training platform for public safety in world, engaging over 500 subject matter experts, and delivering training to over 100 countries each year.
Adam Kinakin, Chief Vision Officer and founder of the ILET Network says:
“I feel we have a responsibility to the people of Ukraine, specifically to our brothers and sisters in law enforcement, to ensure they have access to the most relevant, actionable, and evidence-based training currently available.”
He continued:
“Through our strategic partnerships with world-leading trainers and companies, we have compiled one of the most experienced and qualified teams of professionals ever assembled to assist us in creating customized training and delivery for the National Police of Ukraine.”
The newly created training initiative is not without inherent difficulty, specifically with the prevalence of organized crime and political influence on police operations within Ukraine.
Stephen Komorek, International Liaison Officer for ILET and CEO of API International Consulting Group, ensures us that:
“All precautions have been taken, including meeting all regulatory controls pertaining to sensitive information, in the development and delivery of any and all training product being delivered to Ukraine.”
The ULET #TRAINUKRAINE Project is slated to be delivered over four (4) distinct phases, beginning with online delivery of “critical” training topics, to include:
- Tactical Medical Training;
- Mental Health & PTSD;
- Situational Awareness / Battlefield Awareness;
- Urban & Rural Patrolling;
- Effective Communications;
- Incident Command; and
- Counter Ambush.
Specialists from US and Canadian Special Forces, municipal, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as select civilian training providers experienced in international policing have been selected for training delivery.
All costs associated with delivery of the project are being raised by the ULET Group, a 501(c)(3) U.S. charity (pending), through both private and corporate donations. All funds raised go directly to the creation, delivery, and support of the training created for the National Police of Ukraine.
“It is a true testament to the dedication and call to service demonstrated by these international experts, who have donated their own time and energy, in support of this important and life-saving collaborative effort to support police in Ukraine.”
Says Adam Kinakin.
“Not only does this give these officers a better chance for survival, during and post conflict, it provides the citizens of Ukraine a better trained and more capable police force to serve and protect their communities for years to come.”
To find more information, including how you can support the ULET #TRAINUKRAINE Project, you can visit their website at https://uletgroup.org/.
To donate to the #TRAINUKRAINE Project, click here: https://uletgroup.org/make-a-donation.
References
- Antezza, Arianna; Frank, Andre; Frank, Pascal; Franz, Lukas; Kharitonov, Ivan; Kumar, Bharath; Rebinskaya, Ekaterina; Trebesch, Christoph (16 June 2022). “The Ukraine Support Tracker: Which countries help Ukraine and how?” . Kiel Working Papers, 2218.
- ULET Group. https://uletgroup.org/%23trainukraine-project.
- International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP). Europe and Eurasia. United States Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/criminal-icitap/europe-and-eurasia.
- International Police Peacekeeping and Peace Operations Program. Canada’s Engagement of Ukraine. Government of Canada. https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/ukraine/relations.aspx?lang=eng.
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