Brothers in arms: US donates equipment worth $750,000 to Sindh police
A thousand bullet-proof vests and helmets are part of the package.
KARACHI:
As part of a continuing effort by the government of the United States, equipment worth $750,000 (approximately Rs67 million) was handed over to the Sindh police on Wednesday.
“We are committed to help better equip the brave police officers who have to face extraordinary challenges in Karachi and Sindh,” said US Consul General William Martin at the Central Police Office. “And we hope to make this relationship last for a very long time.”
The equipment handed over, in what the Sindh police call the second major installment from the US government, includes a thousand bullet-proof vests and helmets along with other equipment critical to riot-control policing. The equipment was donated directly from the offices of Brian Nichols, the principal deputy secretary of state for narcotics and international law enforcement. Nichols was recognised as the man who has made this partnership possible.
Present at the ceremony was Sindh Inspector General Mushtaq Ahmed Shah. “The Sindh police is trying to modernise itself to bring its force up to global standards as it faces terrorism at the very forefront,” he said.
In November last year, the US handed over equipment worth eight million dollars. They included voice-stress analysers, bomb-detecting equipment, night-vision goggles, handcuffs, batons, binoculars, megaphones and vehicles.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Sindh police and the US government under the Police Assistance Programme that is worth $1.5 million.
“We want to help better the environment in the dangerous mission the police have,” Martin said. “If peace and stability can be achieved in Karachi, it will open up economic and commercial [avenues] and help attract foreign investment.”
In addition to the equipment, the US provides additional support to rehabilitate infrastructure, enhance police capabilities and train the officers in the province in areas such as counter-terrorism.
The police force in Karachi is currently estimated to be just under 30,000 men and it is further weakened by outdated equipment and long work hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2012.
As part of a continuing effort by the government of the United States, equipment worth $750,000 (approximately Rs67 million) was handed over to the Sindh police on Wednesday.
“We are committed to help better equip the brave police officers who have to face extraordinary challenges in Karachi and Sindh,” said US Consul General William Martin at the Central Police Office. “And we hope to make this relationship last for a very long time.”
The equipment handed over, in what the Sindh police call the second major installment from the US government, includes a thousand bullet-proof vests and helmets along with other equipment critical to riot-control policing. The equipment was donated directly from the offices of Brian Nichols, the principal deputy secretary of state for narcotics and international law enforcement. Nichols was recognised as the man who has made this partnership possible.
Present at the ceremony was Sindh Inspector General Mushtaq Ahmed Shah. “The Sindh police is trying to modernise itself to bring its force up to global standards as it faces terrorism at the very forefront,” he said.
In November last year, the US handed over equipment worth eight million dollars. They included voice-stress analysers, bomb-detecting equipment, night-vision goggles, handcuffs, batons, binoculars, megaphones and vehicles.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Sindh police and the US government under the Police Assistance Programme that is worth $1.5 million.
“We want to help better the environment in the dangerous mission the police have,” Martin said. “If peace and stability can be achieved in Karachi, it will open up economic and commercial [avenues] and help attract foreign investment.”
In addition to the equipment, the US provides additional support to rehabilitate infrastructure, enhance police capabilities and train the officers in the province in areas such as counter-terrorism.
The police force in Karachi is currently estimated to be just under 30,000 men and it is further weakened by outdated equipment and long work hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2012.