Vienna, May 15, 2023 - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) headquarters in Vienna hosted a landmark launch event on Monday for the Guiding Document on the Role of Law Enforcement Officers in Drug Use Prevention within School Settings. The event reflected on the result of the convergence of global experts, practitioners and Member States Representatives dedicated to changing the culture of prevention for law enforcement officers, by integrating the latter under a system of prevention that is based on scientific evidence.
The UNODC Guiding Document fills a crucial gap in supporting law enforcement with the science to determine what works and what does not work in the context of law enforcement-led prevention responses, in line with the UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention. It provides a framework for law enforcement officers to ensure the healthy development of youth in schools, leveraging scientific evidence and practical expertise. The document lays the foundation for more effective and coordinated efforts in preventing substance use within school settings.
With the support of the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (US INL), the UNODC engaged experts in substance use prevention and practitioners to consolidate scientific evidence and practical expertise. The experts and practitioners met at the UNODC headquarters in Vienna, refining an advanced draft of the guiding document through consensus.
The guiding documents comes as an add on to the policy guiding tools on prevention developed by the UNODC Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section. Accordingly, Ms. Giovanna Campello, Chief PTRS moderated the event with opening remarks from the Chief of the Drugs Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch Dr. Justice Tettey and Ms. Penny Fields from the from the U.S. Permanent Mission to International Organizations in Vienna.
Emphasizing the importance of launching this guiding document as an essential cornerstone that provides unified guidance to enhance the effectiveness of prevention, Dr. Justice Tettey stated “DLSSB in its mission seeks to ensure that Member States have access to and use scientific evidence-based services and tools to address the challenges posed by drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism through comprehensive guidance, capacity building and technical assistance which meet international standards for best practice, safeguard human rights and foster gender equality.”
Ms. Penny Fields from the U.S. Mission to International Organizations Vienna, UN Affairs, asserted the need to support law enforcement officers who are implicated in prevention responses with scientific knowledge, stating "Focusing on more effective, evidence-based responses will pave the way for those in law enforcement, like the rest of us working in the prevention space, to better achieve our common goal, which is the safe development of youth and society as a whole."
The launch was attended with several permanent mission delegations represented in Vienna and joined online by the expert developers and focal points appointed by members states in the development of the guide as observers to be recognized during the launch.
Dr. Wadih Maalouf, Coordinator of the Prevention Programme at PTRS, UNODC, presented an overview of the document's development process, its value and outlined the next steps. Watch the full presentation by Dr. Wadih Maalouf here.
This initiative was met with appreciation from other Permanent Mission Representatives, who emphasized the document's importance in enhancing the work of law enforcement officers.
During the launch event, the United Arab Emirates Permanent Mission Representative announced their country’s interest and will to host the first regional training on the guiding document in the Guld region by the end of 2023.
The launch event marked a milestone in advancing the role of science in prevention and eventually the role of law enforcement officers, where they are implicated, in safeguarding youth and society. As the document disseminates worldwide, it is expected to guide future initiatives and contribute to creating safer, nurturing, and supportive environments for young individuals.
The Guiding Document on the Role of Law Enforcement Officers in Drug Use Prevention within School Settings is available here.
