Implementation of cooperation with the Military Police

A real connection of two areas that seem unconnected at first glance. Military police as direct police performance and acting as art.
The main idea of ​​the entire cooperation project was to increase the authenticity of model situations within the training and to introduce an element into them that would bring them as close to reality as possible. The choice was clear. It was necessary to focus on those who could portray the situation as if it were real life. Who else but an actor?
However, the implementation of this cooperation was preceded by a lot of work done by both the Vlkanová Training and Cynology Department and the Faculty of Dramatic Arts. The efforts of both parties were sealed on February 16, 2022 by concluding the Agreement on Mutual Cooperation between the Military Police and the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica, Faculty of Dramatic Arts. Together, we planned the participation of acting students in model situations within the training conducted at the Vlkanová Training and Cynology Department. However, we did not count on the fact that our plans would be affected by the war conflict in Ukraine and the subsequent measures taken in connection with this conflict. All planned courses and trainings were canceled and our planned cooperation could not be implemented at that time.

On November 22, 2022, the Vlkanová Training and Cynology Department, under the leadership of nrtm. Bc. Vladimír Bobuľa, held an Instructional and Methodical Employment in the field of personal protection, intended for members of the Military Police assigned to EUBGV4. The aim of the employment was to practice individual procedures for protecting VIP persons with an emphasis on compliance with diplomatic protocol and the ability to improvise during changing situations.
It was during this employment that it was actually possible for the first time to include acting students FDU AU BB in model situations as extras under the professional guidance of the Vice-Dean for Art, Science, Research and International Relations Mgr. art. Sone Kočanová, ArtD.. Given that the students had no experience with such activities before, their immediate actions contributed greatly to achieving the goal pursued by the training. The task of the acting students in the training was to simulate the position of the protected person, protocol arrangements, as well as the activities of the delegation members. The officers included in the training thus had to perform tasks sometimes beyond their own capabilities, which arose from the natural actions of the extras.

At the same time, that week (November 23-24, 2022), crisis intervention training was also taking place in the Vlkanová Training and Cynology Department. Crisis intervention is basic psychological and social stabilization after a tragic accident in the family, among loved ones and friends (suicide, car accident, death, ...). The training in question was conducted for newly recruited members of the OSSR psychological service and was focused on the activities of the intervention team. The training was carried out under the supervision of the Military Police psychologist Mgr. Ivan Sopoliga. Since this training also includes model situations, in order to increase authenticity, we again addressed acting students, who focused mainly on the emotional side in the model situations, since the topic of the model situations was the activities of the crisis intervention team after the announcement of a tragic accident and subsequently the activities of the intervention team during the last farewell to the deceased. The training participants, members of the OSSR psychological service, were not familiar with the content in advance of how the model situation would proceed and had to react naturally to the authentic prompt reactions of the acting students in the given situation.
A video recording and photographs were also created as part of the model situations, which serve to evaluate the training and provide feedback to both parties involved. The feedback that the participants exchanged immediately after the end of the model situations was also useful, as they had the opportunity to analyze them and present constructive reflections.

From the above, it is clear that the conclusion of the Agreement on Mutual Cooperation between two seemingly unrelated sectors was a step in the right direction. We believe that our cooperation will continue to expand and deepen, because it is undoubtedly a unique benefit for both parties.