United Nations Police (UNPOL) officers conduct two-day refresher training for national policing counterparts in Warrap

Twelve police officers in Tonj South county, Warrap state, recently improved upon their investigative skills, thanks to a two-day refresher course facilitated by United Nations Police officers deployed here.  

The course consisted of interactive sessions on crime scene investigations, report writing, recording statements, preparing cases and familiarization with court procedures as well as community policing.

“The past two days have been very useful especially because I learnt to deal with sensitive investigations related to sexually motivated crimes. For example, we must always ensure that we keep the identities of such victims and their testimonies confidential. That’s an important thing for all of us to know,” said Major Maria Agok Magol, member of the Specialized Protection Unit of the South Sudan National Police Service.

The workshop had a dual purpose: participating officers could own the knowledge they gained in prior workshops and, more importantly, trickle down their learning to colleagues across the country.

“As UNPOL officers, our mandate is to support you and build your capacity. In turn, we expect  you to share the knowledge you have gained here widely with your colleagues who aren’t present here today,” urged Halima Kigera, an UNPOL officer and a workshop facilitator.

Equipped with refreshed knowledge and skills, these officers will then tutor their colleagues on a rights-based approach to policing, extending the same to all payams [administrative divisions] across Warrap so that all local police are conversant with internationally-accepted human rights standards when it comes to dealing with suspects.

For Captain Dominic Deng Kuol, the workshop has injected fresh enthusiasm into his daily routine as a police officer.

“I feel empowered with this knowledge which I will use effectively in my day-to-day work as an investigator,” he said.

Across Warrap, issues such as human rights violations, sexual gender-based violence and child abductions are frequently observed. Such workshops conducted by UNMISS personnel are, therefore, of great value to local law enforcement and go a long way in ensuring a peaceful, stable environment for citizens of the state.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).