Kiwi cops help to train their Philippine counterparts

New Zealand Police trainers in Catbalogan (in light blue shirts)

Two New Zealand Police officers returned to the Philippines in January to further their contributions to the Philippine National Police’s model police station project.

The project, spearheaded by the US Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigations Training Assistance Programme (ICITAP), is designed to help the Philippine National Police (PNP) as it transitions from a military constabulary force to a wholly civilian police force.

Full implementation of the project is part of the “PNP Transformation 2016 Roadmap” that was announced in May last year.

New Zealand Police Senior Sergeants Dana McDonald and John Price delivered four weeks of training at PNP stations in Laoag (Ilocos Norte) and Catbalogan (Samar).  The officers had previously teamed up to deliver four weeks of training in June and July last year in Camarines Sur and Dinagat Island.

New Zealand Police liaison officer for the Philippines, Inspector Tim Haughey, was also able to attend the final week of training in Catbalogan.

The most recent training courses covered crime scene photography, technical writing, public speaking, juvenile justice and restorative justice.

The training is designed to eventually be self-sustaining.  For example, these New Zealand trainers were assisted by PNP officers who will, in future, be able to run the courses themselves.

This contribution to the model police station project was funded by the New Zealand government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Asia Security Fund.