The US awarded Criminal Investigation training certificates to 20 police officers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a graduation ceremony held at Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines on Friday. "This programme will bolster the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police's ability to counter terrorist elements throughout the province," noted John Puckett, US Police Advisor to the KP Police.
The group of police is the first class of the KP Police Investigation Department to complete the training. "Basic Criminal Investigation Course" designed for KP police officers to increase their investigative capabilities. The 30-week long training is part of a Police Assistance Program sponsored by the US State Department's Narcotics Affairs Section.
"The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police need this programme to counter militancy and terrorism in the province, which they have been fighting for the past several years and for which they have laid down their lives," remarked Muhammad Khan Masood Afridi, Additional IG of Investigation, KP Police. In addition to providing police training, the US Government-sponsored Police Assistance programme has provided over $40 million of vital police equipment to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, which includes vehicles, communication equipment, body armour, protection gear and other law enforcement related material.