Investigative techniques: It’s back to school for the K-P police
Peshawar’s school of investigation for police imparts training on international modules to revamp the department
PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
With the rise of the insurgency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and surrounding areas some two decades ago, the local police force found itself thrown in the foray against highly skilled militants and insurgents.
These militants, equipped with modern weaponry ranging from snipers to AK-47s, wreaked havoc in the province, leaving K-P police as the citizens’ first line of defence.
Possessing little training and lesser resources, the K-P police officers have stood on the frontlines for twenty years with approximately 1,400 officers lost to the war on terror.
Although, today the region has been wiped clean of most terrorist elements, working in the wake of insurgency compelled the department to reallocate its resources.
Where the police once focused on dealing with local crimes and investigations, the insurgency meant changing the department’s focus from normal policing to fighting militants, which ultimately had a huge impact on the department’s core job.
Local police officers believe that courts come hard on their investigation-wing for carrying out weak probes, which ultimately favour the culprits.
But due to all resources being dedicated to dealing with the militants for decades, the K-P police department has for long been at its wit’s end on how to improve the performance of its investigation-wing.
“There have been hundreds of instances where the honourable courts have hinted at weak investigations being responsible for the dispensation of justice,” revealed a senior police official on conditions of anonymity.
“It’s because the police for decades has been invested in fighting a fight it had neither been equipped nor trained for,” he added.
Seeing the department’s performance slump in the district, the Police School of Investigation was established in 2014 in Peshawar.
The institution, which offers specialized investigative training based on international modules like those of Scotland Yard, aims to help the local law enforcement agencies to tighten their grip on criminals via meticulous investigation.
“Our training sessions are a mix of theories and practical meant to better equip our trainees with the skills to conduct rigorous investigations,” Director Police School of Investigation Tariq Iqbal, told The Express Tribune.
“We make our trainees prepare cases which are sent to known public prosecutors for review. They rectify the errors and point out the loopholes in the investigation to further improve the training sessions.”
Iqbal further informed The Express Tribune that the school not only recruits trainers from retired heads of police forces but also sources experts from various other departments like forensics, psychology, and academia to share their knowledge and experiences with the trainees.
“We not only impart training to K-P police’s investigation-wing but also host officials from the Federal Investigation Agency, the excise department, Airport Security Force, Pakistan Air Force, National Accountability Bureau, district administration, Pakistan Railways, Islamabad Police as well as the Khasadars,” said Iqbal.
Since its inception in 2014, the Police School of Investigation has taught a total of 396 courses and trained over 7,216 officials in investigation; including 139 from PAF, 18 from Waziristan Police, 92 from Khyber Police, 24 from NAB, 25 from Islamabad Police, 47 from the excise department, 13 from Pakistan Railways, 8 prosecutors and 2 assistant commissioners.
“The institute has also kept records of court decisions with the recent ones being followed and worked upon to enhance investigation skills of the teams under training,” shared the school director.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2019.
With the rise of the insurgency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and surrounding areas some two decades ago, the local police force found itself thrown in the foray against highly skilled militants and insurgents.
These militants, equipped with modern weaponry ranging from snipers to AK-47s, wreaked havoc in the province, leaving K-P police as the citizens’ first line of defence.
Possessing little training and lesser resources, the K-P police officers have stood on the frontlines for twenty years with approximately 1,400 officers lost to the war on terror.
Although, today the region has been wiped clean of most terrorist elements, working in the wake of insurgency compelled the department to reallocate its resources.
Where the police once focused on dealing with local crimes and investigations, the insurgency meant changing the department’s focus from normal policing to fighting militants, which ultimately had a huge impact on the department’s core job.
Local police officers believe that courts come hard on their investigation-wing for carrying out weak probes, which ultimately favour the culprits.
But due to all resources being dedicated to dealing with the militants for decades, the K-P police department has for long been at its wit’s end on how to improve the performance of its investigation-wing.
“There have been hundreds of instances where the honourable courts have hinted at weak investigations being responsible for the dispensation of justice,” revealed a senior police official on conditions of anonymity.
“It’s because the police for decades has been invested in fighting a fight it had neither been equipped nor trained for,” he added.
Seeing the department’s performance slump in the district, the Police School of Investigation was established in 2014 in Peshawar.
The institution, which offers specialized investigative training based on international modules like those of Scotland Yard, aims to help the local law enforcement agencies to tighten their grip on criminals via meticulous investigation.
“Our training sessions are a mix of theories and practical meant to better equip our trainees with the skills to conduct rigorous investigations,” Director Police School of Investigation Tariq Iqbal, told The Express Tribune.
“We make our trainees prepare cases which are sent to known public prosecutors for review. They rectify the errors and point out the loopholes in the investigation to further improve the training sessions.”
Iqbal further informed The Express Tribune that the school not only recruits trainers from retired heads of police forces but also sources experts from various other departments like forensics, psychology, and academia to share their knowledge and experiences with the trainees.
“We not only impart training to K-P police’s investigation-wing but also host officials from the Federal Investigation Agency, the excise department, Airport Security Force, Pakistan Air Force, National Accountability Bureau, district administration, Pakistan Railways, Islamabad Police as well as the Khasadars,” said Iqbal.
Since its inception in 2014, the Police School of Investigation has taught a total of 396 courses and trained over 7,216 officials in investigation; including 139 from PAF, 18 from Waziristan Police, 92 from Khyber Police, 24 from NAB, 25 from Islamabad Police, 47 from the excise department, 13 from Pakistan Railways, 8 prosecutors and 2 assistant commissioners.
“The institute has also kept records of court decisions with the recent ones being followed and worked upon to enhance investigation skills of the teams under training,” shared the school director.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2019.