The European Union Police Coordination Office for Palestinian Police Support (EUPOL COPPS) is leading this effort. UNOPS procured and delivered the vehicles.

The Palestinian Civil Police accepted the first consignment of 36 VW Crafter vans at a ceremony at the Guards and Protection Unit Compound in Ramallah. The vehicles will go to stations of the Palestinian Public Order Police in the West Bank.

The Palestinian Civil Police Public Order Unit demonstrate a drill at the handover ceremony

At the ceremony Brigadier Al Musaimy, Deputy Chief of Police of the Palestinian Civil Police Service, said: “These vehicles will greatly improve our ability to deliver public order services to Palestinians throughout the West Bank. They move the development process for the Palestinian Civil Police another important step forward.”

The handover ceremony was also attended by Christian Berger, European Commission Representative in Jerusalem and the Head of Mission of EUPOL COPPS, Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan.

Each specially-designed and equipped van carries up to 12 police officers and a driver. The vans have significant storage space to accommodate public order equipment such as protective gear, while the seating and high roofs allow quick access.

Christian Berger, European Commission Representative in Jerusalem and Brigadier Al Musaimy, Deputy Chief of Police of the Palestinian Civil Police Service at the handover ceremony

The European Commission’s donation also includes three years of routine maintenance.

The Palestinian Civil Police is the lead law enforcement agency in the West Bank. It currently comprises 6,600 police, 1,000 of whom are Public Order Police. The EUPOL COPPS mission formally began in April 2005, with a mandate to provide support and advice for both immediate operational priorities and longer-term transformational change.