The Royal PNG Constabulary’s training college at Bomana in National Capital District has changed it’s name to Centre of Excellence in 2017 to reform its training programs to higher standards.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Training), John Kolopen revealed to the media. According to him, over the years the minimum requirement for police recruit was Grade 10 high school certificate, which has led to gradual drop in policing, conduct of policemen and public confidence in the police force. In 2016 the government approved the proposed structure for the centre and in 2017 the name was changed and up to 439 positions were made available to be funded by the government within the college.
“ We are building the capacity of learning and trying to build diploma and degree courses, I will be a long way but we have to start somewhere to get the standard lifted a bit higher:
Her said, rebuilding of classrooms, offices and other building in the college will take pace once the funding is available, new recruits will be taken in. This time only Grade12 School Leavers with higher marks in distinction and credits will be eligible to apply for constabulary training
Diploma and Degree Courses for Members of Police Force
Police force members in the country will be offered Diploma and Degree courses at the Police training college. This will be implemented through memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Pacific Institute of Leadership and Governance (PILAG) and Royal PNG Constabulary. The agreement will enable them to teach diploma and degree courses for prosecution and investigations with the support by the Australian Federal Police. It will be a refresher pathway for members of the police force who can improve and be good prosecutors and investigators in cases they handle.
The Diploma course will take two years and will commence next year (2022) once the infrastructure and refurbishment of the training college is completed and
Serve 18 Months More to Be certified Officer.
Many serving members who have undergone six months of training and have graduated will now need to complete an 18 months extensive training to be certified as police officers. The will do this through a competency acquisition program (CAP). After the CAP program they will pass out as constables. When recruits pass out of the Centre of Excellence, they will continue studying through this “on the job” program for the 18 months as probationary constables. Once they complete the CAP program and pass the exams, they can be confirmed as proper constables in the constabulary.
The CAP program will be compulsory for every police officer to become a police constable. The currently most of the members serving the force have not completed the 18 months of CAP training.
Police Centre of Excellence Training Structure.
The nine months of training to be certified police officer will be in three (3) stages as follows. Each stage will take two months of training respectively.
Community Policing
- Public Safety
- Duty Counter
- Cell Blocks
- Community setup etc
Prosecution
- Case laws
- Legislation laws
- Court processes etc
Investigation
- Practical cases, common and ongoing issues such as cybercrime , PNG Forestry Authority and National Finisheries Authority related cases.
- Engaging trainers to see how investigation courses work.
