Alina Badulescu, Daniel Badulescu and Catalin‐Adrian Bucur
The general objective of the project was to develop institutions at European standards in the Bihor County Police, based on common institutional architecture, transfer of knowledge and expertise in the field of European integration from the Hungarian partners’ experience.
The specific objectives of the project were:
Accelerating the exchange of information between the two police Inspectorates( Bihor and Hajdú‐Bihar) by:
• the introduction of an audio‐visual system via Internet, purchasing computers and communication equipment enabling creation of a local network with six users in Bihor County, meaning to collect operational data, processing network centre in Oradea( Bihor County Police Headquarters, Romania), connected to the existing network at the Hajdu‐Bihar County Police( Hungary);
• joint publication of printed and online material( books, brochures, leaflets) on the the prevention of aggression and criminal acts, foreground addressed to citizens;
Staff specialization and development in the field of crime preventing and combating, through cross‐border information exchange and collaboration:
• Management training, in order to share managerial experience between cross‐border partners;
• Seminars on crime prevention, focused on mutual understanding.
The target group consisted of six police office nominated by the Bihor County Police Inspectorate, and other adjacent institutions responsible for preventing and combating crimes. The final beneficiaries were Bihor and Hajdú‐Bihar communities and involved institution staff. The specialized publications were available to around 20,000 people, and the training involved 50 police officers and other officials.
The project was an initial performance in the field, in Romania, and a model for other similar initiative that could be implemented by other county police inspectorates located in border areas.
4. The research: Objectives and methodology
In order to better understanding and anticipation of possible future developments in cross‐border cooperation, we conducted a survey‐based research by designing a questionnaire and addressing it to specific targeted experts. We targeted experts and cross border project managers involved in public order and civil protection institutions across the Hungarian‐Romanian border( from Bihor County – Romania and Hajdú‐Bihar County – Hungary). The main interest was to investigate the importance, role, consequences, limits and prospects of local and regional successful cross border cooperation. The questionnaire consisted of 20 questions( 9 were opened questions and 11 closed ‐Yes / No type) and were specifically related to the following issues: involvement in cross‐border cooperation projects, objectives and effects, achievements, obstacles and particularities, efficiency. Other questions referred to the nature of beneficiaries, communication and relations among partners, benefits and sustainability, future prospects of such programs. The survey was conducted during November‐December 2011, and the questionnaire was administered to 52 experts, project managers or managers / deputy from: Regular Police( 36), Border Police( 8), Gendarmerie( 4), Emergency and special interventions services( 4), all located in border areas, i. e. 27 were from Romanian institutions and 25 from Hungarian ones.
5. Research results
The responses to valid questionnaires have indicated a number of 72 actions undertaken within cross‐border cooperation projects onto which the respondents have been involved; the majority of them( i. e. 68 %) took the form of mixed patrols, followed by PHARE CBC, HU‐RO Programs etc. As a first evaluation we can state that the initial stage was dominated by limited and on reduced scale cooperation actions, focused on addressing specific problems, as a primary means for mutual knowledge and identifying common problems.
5.1 Cross‐border cooperation in the field of public order has achieved objectives?
According to survey data, the cross‐border cooperation, within the assumed initial objectives, fulfilled their goals( in a cumulative percentage of 85 %). It is a remarkable result that can denote both commitment and determination in ex ante sizing of fair, realistic, achievable targets, both determinations of involved actors. Moreover, we can mitigate these assessments, partially considering the tendency to " conformity " of
39