On 10 July 2025, a major milestone was reached with the official inauguration of the Crime Scene Examination (CSE) Training Centre on Trafficking in Persons (TiP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SoM) at the Ethiopian Police University (EPU) in Sendafa, Ethiopia. The Centre is the result of a strong and sustained partnership between the EPU, the Better Migration Management (BMM) Programme, funded by the European Union (EU) and Germany, and the Technical Assistance Unit (TAU) – Support to Criminal Justice Reform in Ethiopia Project, funded by the EU.
This facility reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Ethiopia’s law enforcement response to human trafficking and migrant smuggling, while laying the foundation for long-term institutional training and cross-border cooperation.
Since 2019, CIVIPOL has played a key role in supporting the development and national rollout of Ethiopia’s first Training Curriculum on Investigating Trafficking in Persons (TiP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SoM) through the BMM Programme. Formally validated and endorsed by the Ethiopian Police University (EPU) in 2021, this curriculum, together with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on TiP/SoM Crime Scene Management, endorsed by the Ethiopian Federal Police Commission in 2022, forms the core foundation of the CSE Training Centre’s approach and methodology.
The new Training Centre comprises:
- Main Training Facility: A dedicated building equipped with classrooms and CCTV-covered reconstructed crime scene rooms.
- Laboratory: A fully refurbished space for hands-on forensic training.
- Outdoor Crime Scene Examination Training Grounds: A large open-air area designed to simulate real-world crime scenes, enabling multi-agency and scenario-based exercises.
The inauguration ceremony featured:
- Ribbon-cutting of the Training Centre
- Tour of the Facilities, including crime scene rooms, the laboratory, and outdoor training grounds
- Demonstrations by EPU trainers previously trained through BMM Training of Trainers
- Official handover of the TiP/SoM Crime Scene Management and Examination Curriculum
The initiative aims to:
- Build sustainable national capacity for crime scene management related to trafficking and smuggling
- Institutionalize the curriculum within EPU’s national training system
- Lay the groundwork for a Regional Training Centre of Excellence, serving countries across the Horn of Africa including Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, Somalia, South Sudan, and Somaliland
This marks a significant step forward in Ethiopia’s efforts to tackle transnational organized crime and protect vulnerable populations, strengthening both investigative capacity and regional cooperation.
