Refresher course for mid level investigation officers open at the Superior Officers’ Conference Hall of Nigerian Police Force Enugu Command Enugu on Thursday 7^th February, 2013. Over 35 Officers drawn from the crime records, criminal investigation department, human rights units and general duties attended. The course designed and delivered by international consultants for PRAWA under component one of the projects: ‘Speeding-Up Criminal Justice Project in Enugu State’ is supported by Justice for All Programme of DFID.

Earlier in 2012, PRAWA facilitated same training for the Police Force but according to the PRAWA Project Lead on this intervention Ms. Kate Ibeanusi, there is need for the refresher course to check the level of compliance and application of the models and techniques the officers were taught. This she said will enable the effective assessment of the success or otherwise of the project.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigations of the Command Mr. Philip Ogbadu who opened the Refresher Course said his officers and the entire rank and file of the Command are open to learning new techniques and models of policing that will enable the force to meet up with the challenges of policing in the present age. He thanked Justice for All J4A and PRAWA for all the interventions they have been initiating to help Enugu State Command of the Nigerian Police adding that the results are beginning to manifest.

The Consultant Trainer for J4A and PRAWA on Police Investigation and Interview skills, Mr. David Stewart said the issue of proper scene of crime management and use of PEACE model in police investigation is very important to the effective and enhanced police investigation globally. He urged the trainee officers to apply the skills in their routine operations and compare it with their earlier methods and techniques.

Highlight of the Refresher Course was the sampling and demonstration of the use of Investigating Police Officers’ Toolkit donated by PRAWA with the support of Justice for All J4A to the State Criminal Investigation Department of Enugu State Police Command. The toolkit which contained several items needed by IPOs on investigation assignment was an outcome of the trainings conducted for the investigating police and allied officers of the Command.