AKADEMIA POLICJI W SZCZYTNIE

Their core work

Akademia Policji w Szczytnie (Police Academy in Szczytno) is Poland's specialized higher education institution for law enforcement training and police sciences. In EU research, they contribute operational expertise on policing practices — from training curricula and soft skills development for peacekeeping missions to technical work on crime analytics, multimedia evidence processing, and counter-terrorism tools. Their consistent role across security projects reflects their position as a domain expert that bridges academic police training with real-world investigative and emergency response needs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early projects (2016–2017) centred on soft skills — peacekeeping training through gaming simulations (GAP), community-building for law enforcement networks (ILEAnet), and understanding criminal networks conceptually (TAKEDOWN). From 2018 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward technical tools: machine learning for multimedia evidence analysis (MAGNETO), privacy-preserving intelligence systems (SPIRIT), and first responder technologies (FASTER). The trajectory shows a police academy moving from training-oriented research into applied security technology and AI-assisted investigation.

Moving toward applied AI and data analytics for law enforcement, making them an increasingly relevant partner for security technology projects that need end-user validation from police practitioners.

How they like to work

Exclusively a participant — they have never coordinated an H2020 project, which is typical for a specialized end-user institution that contributes domain expertise rather than driving technical development. With 115 unique partners across 27 countries in just 6 projects, they operate in large security consortia (averaging ~19 partners per project). This means they are well-networked and experienced in multi-partner coordination, but their role is clearly as a practitioner voice and testing ground rather than a project driver.

Remarkably broad network for their project count: 115 unique partners across 27 countries, reflecting participation in large EU security consortia. Their reach spans nearly all EU member states, typical of the Security pillar's emphasis on cross-border collaboration.

What sets them apart

As a police academy, they bring something most universities and tech companies cannot: direct operational knowledge of policing, investigation workflows, and law enforcement training needs. They serve as a credible end-user partner who can validate whether a security tool or training method actually works in a police context. For any consortium building a security project that needs a law enforcement perspective from Central Europe, APwSz offers an institutional partner with six projects of experience and a strong European network.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MAGNETO
  Their largest funded project (EUR 107,500), applying machine learning and big data to organised crime investigation — marks their shift into technical security tools.
• GAP
  Innovative use of online gaming and roleplaying for peacekeeping training, directly tied to their core mission as a police training institution.
• SPIRIT
  Highest single EC contribution (EUR 131,113), working on privacy-preserving intelligence analysis — a sensitive and high-demand area in law enforcement.