ROADPOL Brings Its First
Out-of-Europe Meeting To Success
President Zsinkai (left) and General Secretary Veic at the World Police Summit. 18 MAR - ROADPOL successfully carried out its first out-of-Europe meeting in Dubai (4-6 March).
The regular spring meeting of the European Roads Policing Network was hosted by Dubai Police, which holds an observer status within the network.
Summit
The summit was being held on the sidelines of the 2nd edition of the World Police Summit. The meeting traditionally featured a gathering of ROADPOL Council which discussed an array of the network's current affairs. The program featured meetings of ROADPOL Operations, Technical and Tacho working groups which focused on their traditional purpose of exchanging best practices and experiences between members of European road police authorities.
ROADPOL leadership accepting the visit of Dubai Police Chief Al-Marri (second left).Host
The meeting was held under the auspice of the Dubai Police Commander in Chief, H.E. Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, who visited the ROADPOL Council meeting on the 6th of March and had a fruitful conversation
with ROADPOL President Elvira Zsinkai, General Secretary Sanja Veic and ROADPOL Council members. Conversations and discussions continued during the week of the World Police Summit when all ROADPOL members and representatives visited Dubai Police Headquarters. Visit also included a drop at the Smart Police Station as well as the Dubai Police Museum. ROADPOL meeting was also visited by representatives of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences who gave an enlightening presentation on their road safety efforts.
Discussions
ROADPOL's presence at the World Police Summit started with Mrs. Zsinkai and Mrs. Veic taking part in a panel discussion on the topic of “Leveraging Partnerships to Enhance Road Safety Awareness in Future Societies”. Тhey were joined by Chief Executive Officer of Global Road Safety Partnership David Cliff and European Regional Advisor for Road Safety at the World Health Organization Jonathon Passmore. The session shed light on the importance of public-private partnerships in road safety, which, when properly implemented, have the potential of minimising road accidents and improving traffic flow. Participants agreed that it is crucial for traffic enforcement agencies to engage with the communities through partnership with the non-governmental sector in order to positively influence the behaviour of road users. It was confirmed that curated training and awareness programs are key to reduce road trauma and raise traffic law adherence.
Future
Ursula Edström grabbed the audience with deep insight on effective policing. PHOTOS: ROADPOLAnother panel discussion ROADPOL ventured at was the one about ”Enhancing Traffic Enforcement in the Age of Autonomous Vehicles“. The topic was discussed by ROADPOL President of Honor Paolo Cestra from the Italian State Police, ROADPOL Executive Committee member and former President Volker Orben and President of GMTTB Society of Medical and Technical Trauma Biomechanics Dr. Wolfram Hell. The three shed light on the challenges emerging from fast introduction of autonomous vehicle technology, especially the necessity of giving road traffic authorities access to in-vehicle data for the purpose of comprehensive and effective investigation of road collisions.
Presentations
In other developments ROADPOL Operational Working Group member Ursula Edström of Swedish Police gave a presentation on her country's authorities application of the Vision Zero approach. She focused on the place and role of police in the traffic environment of today's Sweden - a country with an increasingly remarkable road safety record in the last decades. ROADPOL's performance was also intensified by ROADPOL Tachograph Working Group head Sven Kilian of the police of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. He presented his insight on the developments around the smart tachograph which will be required for trucks and buses in the European Union from August 2023.
