ROADPOL Delivers

1st Conference and Expo

To Acclaim

ROADPOL President Elvira Zsinkai opening the conference. PHOTOS: ROADPOL29 SEP - The European Roads Policing Network delivered its 1st ROADPOL Conference and Exposition on September 27th in Sofia, Bulgaria to undisputed triumph.

The case marked the first time ROADPOL organized an event of this scale after its incorporation in 2019 with experience used from previous conferences held in past years by the predecessor network – TISPOL. The event was co-organized by ROADPOL and the host Bulgarian Ministry of Interior and was staged at the John Atanassov Innovation Forum Hall at the Sofia Tech Park Complex.

Vitronic and its presentation.Event

14 presenters were featured in the program of the conference which will shed light through the main pillars of fight for enhanced modern road safety. Part of the program included presentations aiming at the role of police in achieving high levels of road safety. Other angles held views on European strategic approach to road safety with prominent European Commission representatives joining remotely to enlight the audience comprised of police officers of all ROADPOL member states. The “Enforcement and new technologies” panel attracted specific attention with presentations on detecting hidden compartments for illicit goods and substances in vehicles, insight on top-notch driver alcohol and drug tests as well as latest advancements in police identity technologies and the increasing use of e-vehicles in police fleets. The section on road safety education and prevention featured presentations from Dubai Police, the World Health Organization and the Global Road ROADPOL representatives reaced to media attention.Safety Initiative. Overall presenters come from a line-up of road safety stakeholders such as the World Road Association, DEKRA, European Transport Safety Council, European Labor Authority and the World Health Organization and from private companies such as Idemia and Abbott. Presentations will also be held by police personnel from Luxembourg, Dubai and the Netherlands.

Exhibitors

Police officers learned about new road safety products and services.19 private companies and institutions promote their products, services and activities as part of the ROADPOL Exhibition on the sidelines of the Conference. These included Vitronic, main sponsor of the event, with its innovative solutions for traffic management. The expo featured an array of traffic safety devices and road policing technology manufacturers such as MRG, Sodi Scientifica (speed detection), Connection Systems, Catch Systems, Adaptive Recognition, Eunomia (licence plate recognition), global giant Continental, alcohol and drug test manufacturers Draeger, Securetec, Aboott, Keragon, Idemia (automated driver tests and traffic monitoring systems), Carfax (used car history). German motor vehicle inspection leader DEKRA and used-car collision history company Carfax also tооk part in the exhibition. Educational and research institutions were also presented by the Road Safety Institute of Greece, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Tallinn University of Technology of Estonia. Dubai Police also had its exhibition booth.

Host Bulgarian Police and partner Dubai Police were instrumental to the success of the event.Evaluation

“Conferences and exhibitions were popular in the history of the TISPOL predecessor network and we liked the idea of renewing these events as great venues for our members to learn of new technologies, methods and best policing practices”, , commented ROADPOL President Elvira Zsinkai. “2023 ROADPOL Conference and Expo was an event which took enormous efforts from the network's team with the aim of delivering a seamless road safety educational experience. We are especially grateful to our hosts at the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior and the National Police General Directorate who did their utmost best with venue, transportation, accommodation and technical details. We couldn't be at this level without the help of our valued partners Vitronic Polska and Dubai Police. ROADPOL Conference and Expo delivered a great number of fine presentations which augmented police officers knowledge and shed light on numerous aspects of police work and road safety challenges. In its backdrop countless discussions and tons of networking took place between police professionals and relevant road safety exhibitors who grasped the opportunity to promote their most recent products and services”, Zsinkai added.