RADIO EQUIPMENT DONATED TO KPS

The Kosovo Police Service (KPS) today received a donation of radio equipment valued at approximately US$3,000,000. The government of the United States of America donated the equipment, which included 3000 portable radios, 400 vehicle radios, 40 base station radios, and a variety of electronics and accessories.

Mr. Fletcher M. Burton, Acting Chief of Mission for the US Office in Pristina, represented the American government at the donation ceremony. Mr. Burton said "The United States is happy to present this equipment to the very professional Kosovo Police Service…and we know it will be put to good use."

KPS Colonel Sheremet Ahmeti and Robert Gardner, Assistant Director of KPS Operations, received the donation on behalf of the Kosovo Police Service. Both thanked the US Department of State and said the equipment would "help make the KPS into the modern and effective policing agency that Kosovo deserves".

This donation is in addition to a previous gift of radio equipment from the USA in 2001. The new equipment will allow the KPS to provide every officer with a portable radio and will greatly increase the effectiveness of the KPS communications system. The total value of the radio equipment donated to the KPS by the USA in 2001 and 2002 exceeds US$5,000,000

Photographs from the donation ceremony: From left to right in the first photo are Robert Gardner, Henry Wilkins (US Department of State), Sheremet Ahmeti, Fletcher Burton, and Pascal Budge & Buck Pflanz (both with the US Department of State contractor DynCorp).

Barry FLETCHER
Deputy Chief of Press and Public Information
Office of Press and Public Information
UNMIK Police Main HQ

Officer Refki Morina
Spokesperson
KPS Media Office
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For additional information, contact the UNMIK Police Office of Press and Public Information at Police MHQ in Pristina: Tel. (+381)-38-504-604-5071, FAX 5073