New school year/Skënder Hita announces measures and expansion of the “Smart City” project in 20 Tirana schools

The new school year begins on September 14 for all nine-year and secondary schools across the country. The Director General of the State Police, Skënder Hita, outlined at a press conference all the measures planned by the police to ensure the smooth running of the educational process and the personal safety of students.

Hita said it would be the direct and priority responsibility of police station chiefs across the country to ensure school safety, taking into account the organization of police services and the strengthening of measures when necessary.

The police chief said he had paid particular attention to cracking down forcefully on the sale of narcotics in schools and the surrounding areas.

STATEMENT

Thank you for being here on this day off, but the subject on which I wish to inform citizens concerns the new approach and measures taken by the State Police on the occasion of the start of the new school year—a very important process for society as a whole, but also an increased responsibility for the State Police. Protecting life and health and creating the safest possible environment for the peaceful development of the educational process in every corner of Albania is a primary duty of the State Police.

Following an analysis of the problems encountered in previous years, as well as consultations and coordination with the Ministry of Education, the State Police has drawn up a detailed plan of measures, with specific tasks for all the structures that will be involved in guaranteeing student safety. This plan is not limited to ensuring students’ physical safety; our measures also include food safety, cybersecurity and road safety.

During the meetings I have recently held with the local State Police structures, I assigned everyone direct and clear tasks to take concrete measures to guarantee the security perimeter and the areas beyond it, with the aim of ensuring the smooth running of the educational process. Police station chiefs will be in charge of all services involved in school safety and will have direct responsibility for organizing, coordinating and supervising services in the field. I have requested that these measures not remain merely on paper, but be monitored and implemented on the ground. The responsibility is concrete and will be clear for every local police official.

In this context, I instructed specialists from the Narcotics and Operational sectors in all 12 local police directorates to organize high-intensity checks both inside and outside the security perimeter, focusing on identifying and stopping, with the full force of the law, any criminal element attempting to approach educational institutions, involve students in criminal activities—particularly narcotics-related activities—or sell them other illegal items that pose consequences for their lives and health. We have also paid particular attention to road safety near schools, to protect children as they travel to and from school at the beginning and end of the school day, as well as during the long break.

Awareness-raising also plays an important role in the measures undertaken by the State Police to guarantee safety and the smooth running of the new school year. In this regard, Community Policing, Domestic Violence, Cybercrime and Traffic Police structures will be present in schools, holding awareness sessions on the risks of bullying, psychological violence in schools and in the digital space, road safety, and reducing the use of drugs, tobacco and alcohol. In addition, as part of the school safety package, intensive cooperation is under way with the National Food Authority to guarantee the safety of food products at all businesses operating near schools.

We will carry out periodic inspections at these businesses to verify not only the formal compliance of their economic activity, but also the composition and expiration dates of the products consumed by students, as well as the hygienic and sanitary conditions in which these products are stored and sold. School security officers, teachers and psychologists also play an important role in this endeavor. They are our direct bridge to everyday life at school and an important point of contact for identifying problems in a timely manner.

For this reason, we are strengthening cooperation with security officers to coordinate action in every case, and with school administrators to identify and address every concern or problem at its earliest stage. The Parent Boards and Student Governments are also important partners of the State Police. Children’s voices and parents’ concerns will be heard with respect and responsibility and will receive timely responses. Prevention is always better than reacting after an incident. In this regard as well, police station chiefs will be in charge of services and responsible for the territory they cover.

Dear citizens!

This year, school safety is also gaining another important dimension: technology. As part of the Smart City project, intelligent cameras have been installed in 20 schools, increasing our capacity to monitor and prevent situations that could compromise safety. Technology enables us to identify problems more quickly, respond more efficiently and stay closer to citizens, wherever our presence and intervention are required. This is an important step toward a modern public safety model, in which the work of police officers in the field is increasingly supported by technology and intelligent systems.

And let me make this clear: technology does not replace police officers. It makes their work in the field faster, more efficient and more accurate.

Dear students,

Do not remain silent in the face of danger. If you see or experience a case of violence, drug distribution, threats, bullying, the involvement of peers in criminal activities or any other situation that concerns you, notify your teacher, parent, security officer and the State Police.

Do not hesitate to speak with your parents, psychologists, social workers, teachers and police officers. Timely intervention to address any problem or concern can prevent a more serious incident.

The State Police and all links in the security chain will be there for you and will respond with determination and professionalism, so that you feel calm and safe on your path to knowledge.

This is our commitment: safe schools for the future of our country!

Thank you, and I am open to questions.