For Punjab police training, a state-of-the-art facility

School will include pool, hostel, indoor firing range and gymnasium

LAHORE: Punjab Police are expanding the Elite Police Training School on Bedian Road in Lahore at a cost of Rs718 million.

The expansion work includes the construction of a printing press, medial room, swimming pool, gymnasium, guard room, dining hall, a double storey hostel, indoor firing range, fibre shed for firing range, repair and maintenance of existing hostel, improving the mock-up village, converting the two-mile running track to a standard track, a tube well chamber and boring of one cusec turbine.

The project will be completed in two years.  The purpose is to increase the training capacities and facilities at the Elite Police Training School. Annual operating and maintenance is set at 2% of the capital cost after the project is completed.

The Elite Police Training School was established in 1997 on Bedian Road. The objective of building the institute was to turn recently employed policemen into well-disciplined and skilled officials who can counter threats.

In 1997, Punjab CM Mian Muhammad Shahzad Sharif decided to establish the school to combat organised crime. It was constructed after the addition of Chapter-XIX A in Police Rules 1934.

So far, 13 batches have gone through the Basic Elite Course and 8,046 personnel have qualified. These include law enforcement officials of the other provinces, the Capital Territory police, Pakistan Rangers, traffic wardens, Punjab Rescue 1122, District Management Group, Pakistan Railways, private security agencies and bank securities.

The Elite force helps the district police in situations that need expertise such as high risk searches, raids and rescue operations. The officers in the Elite police are trained to use highly sophisticated firearms, engage in hand-to-hand combat and reconnaissance missions.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2017.