Bosaso, Puntland — In a concerted effort to improve public safety and foster trust between law enforcement and local communities, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Somalia, in collaboration with the Puntland Ministry of Security and Police, has concluded a series of four intensive training workshops in the port city of Bosaso.
The initiative, backed by funding and technical support from the European Union and the United Kingdom, brought together 61 participants, including police officers, community elders, civil society representatives, and local authorities.
The training sessions focused on the creation of Local Police Partnership Boards (LPPBs) — platforms designed to strengthen cooperation and communication between the police and the communities they serve. Through these boards, community representatives and law enforcement officials will jointly identify safety concerns, co-develop solutions, and monitor progress.
Participants also explored ways to deepen engagement between police, civil society organisations, and national NGOs, ensuring policing strategies reflect local realities. The sessions highlighted the role of communities as active partners in crime prevention and peacebuilding rather than passive recipients of security services.
The workshops form part of the Joint Police Programme (JPP) — a multi-agency initiative aimed at professionalising policing services across Somalia, enhancing accountability, and embedding community-driven approaches to law enforcement.
Speaking at the conclusion of the programme, officials emphasised that strong community-police relations are key to reducing crime, improving service delivery, and building resilience against security threats. The newly trained participants are expected to serve as catalysts for similar partnerships in other regions of Puntland.
With the establishment of the first LPPBs in Bosaso, local leaders hope the model will be replicated across Puntland to create a safer, more cooperative, and more transparent policing environment.