Investigation Skills of the Police in the UAE - Assignment Example

Contents Contents 1 Introduction 2 Investigation skills of the police in the UAE 4 Skills Training Prior to and During a Career in Policing 7 Skills Training Vs Practical investigation Experience 10 Possible improvements to the developments of Investigative Skills 12 Partnerships 13 Technology 13 Information Management and sharing 14 Embracing Globalization 15 Measurement 16 Conclusion 16 References 17 Assessment of Police Investigation Training in the United Arab Emirates Introduction United Arab Emirates (UAE) was formed in 1971 after it gained independence from UK. It comprises seven Emirates; Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah, Ajman, and Umm al- Qaiwain. The capital city of the UAE is Abu Dhabi. In the emirates, national police fall under the Ministry of Interior whose responsibility is law and order as well as public security. The ministry supervises Police General Directorates in the seven emirates. However, each emirate manages its own police force and oversees the running of the police stations in it. According to the U. S Department of State (Bureau of Democracy for Human Rights and Labor), “All emirate police forces are branches of the Ministry however in practice they operate with considerable autonomy and varying degrees of efficiency.” (US Department of State 2007, Online). United Arab Emirates have a British background since it was a colony under the British. Therefore most of its legal and civic laws draw from the British one as well as from the Sharia. One major thing that could hinder investigation is the social-cultural environment. Muslim laws govern how a suspect will be handled and punished. The core principles of the UAE law are drawn from the Sharia law, but its legislation is a mix of Islamic and European civil law. In the UK religion does not play a part in the investigation process. As earlier stated, The Ministry of Interiors supervises Police General Directorates in the seven emirates. However, each emirate manages its own police force and oversees the running of the police stations in it. Investigations in the UK are very specialized and they target a specific kind of crime. On the other hand, most of the courses in the UAE are still general and they include different kinds of crimes under one course. Apart from maintaining law and order, the national police have a responsibility to prevent and investigate crimes. Criminal investigation involves looking for evidence and clues in order to establish whether a crime took place or not. Law enforcement and police agencies are involved in criminal investigation of all kinds. Therefore, they need special skills and techniques in every kind of investigation. The natures of crimes as well as the instruments used keep on changing and this demands competencies in the police to deal with such crime. This has implications in the police training policy and strategies used. Since crimes have become “more sophisticated and technology facilitated crimes are on the increase, a modern detective is also required to engage in career-long learning” (Police college 2011, 8). According to the 2012 Dubai Police website the criminal investigation department deals with a myriad of crimes. They include; Daily small time crimes like quarrels, defamation etc; Dangerous crimes like armed robbery, murder, kidnappings, rape etc; Organized crime like internationally wanted criminals, money laundering, drug trafficking, terrorism etc Social services like lost property, certificates of good conduct among others. Some of the techniques used include scientific evidence methods like chemical analysis, firearms, documents, fingerprints, and Forensic Medicine. They also employ identity recognition methods like DNA, fingerprints criminal records etc. According to Al-Muhairi (2008), the local police in the UAE handle all manner of crimes, “Unfortunately, they are not capable of dealing with corruption crimes and they lack the power and authority to do so” (p. 109). That is why the training the officers get before they start their career in policing should be updated throughout the course of their policing career according to their areas of specialization. This paper is an assessment of investigative police in the UAE. It looks at the investigative skills possessed by the police in the emirates and the skills training available prior to and in the course of a policing career. According to the U. S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, the most important thing to being an efficient CID agent is training. This is to help the CID agents to maintain the highest levels of tactical, technical and personal training. Regardless of the level of experience, it is difficult to gain competence and efficiency through experience alone. Training in skills does not only help the investigators to stay abreast with the latest technologies, it also enhances the quality of investigation. The assessment further compares and contrasts skills training and practical investigation experience in a bid to determine whether training in skills has an impact on the quality of investigation. Finally the assessment highlights improvements that can be made to develop investigation skills in the UAE. This will be done through comparing and contrasting UK and UAE literature and experience. Investigation skills of the police in the UAE Investigative police need tactical, technological as well as technical skills. Generally police in the UAE are required to posses computer skills, be physically fit, and have accounting and administrative skills. Some of the fundamental skills that an investigative police should have include taking statements, case filing and preparations, interviewing skills (this applies to skills in interviewing offenders, victims and witnesses), use of surveillance technology, being able to identify and locate potential witnesses, preserving and developing evidence among many others. In addition, the police in the UAE are expected to know the social-cultural environment within the emirates in order to be efficient with their work. Scerra (2011) says that police use the cultural knowledge they have on people to make decisions on the criminality of a group of people. This knowledge is particularly important when dealing with serial crimes. Investigators should also have the good listening and communication skills. They should be capable of exercising restraint and should be good at making choices. Other important skills include being technologically apt and as also acquaintance with the latest legal developments. Successful investigators need proper training and skill set which provides them with knowledge of the pertinent issues and familiarization with the techniques required. In this regard, some crimes require high level knowledge as opposed to others. According to the UAE Police College website, the college established an officers training institute to develop police cadres to acquire renewable knowledge, develop skills and have positive behavior. This training is aimed at enabling the cadres to diagnose security issues work towards their resolution by use of scientific facts. The Hong Kong police college classifies the competencies of a modern day police department into three: Core competencies: communication, professionalism, judgment, leadership and staff management. Functional competencies: crime investigation skills Psychological competencies: Enhancing witnesses’ memory, use of psychological skills in suspect interviewing, victim psychology, psychology of criminal behaviors, handling vulnerable crime witnesses and comprehending offender profiling and psychological autopsy (Hong Kong Police College 2011,3). Glasgow and Lepatski agree with Hong Kong Police College’s assessment of the required competencies. Their study – using focus group interviews with stakeholders in the investigative process, investigative experts as well as investigators at all ranks – identified the main investigative competencies to include: Ethical decision making Risk effective decision making Criminology Crime scene management Interviewing victims and witnesses Source Handling, search warrant drafting Photographic lineup Note taking, Report writing, court testimony Judicial administration Structures interviewing of suspects. As it is the case in many police forces in the world these are the fundamental skills that are needed for a career in policing. However the standard or level of competence of the officer increases as he increases his specialization and authority. The police that are to become officers are required to go through three-year training at the Police Academy. In the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, there is the Abu Dhabi Police College which was established under the UAE federal law (No. 1), it prepares and trains police officers. It offers a four-year study which aims at preparing the students physically and psychologically. This is plus 1 year training and special training after graduation. Education and scientific qualifications is a requirement for those who want to join the Abu Dhabi police. This has resulted due to the development of education levels in the UAE. The training familiarizes the police with the rules of data classification that is used in future planning. They are also equipped with mass communication skills as well as ways of gaining skills and capabilities in interacting with the public Recently, 26 members of the Abu Dhabi police graduated in Investigation training. They underwent the 13th Basic Investigation Process Development Course (AIO) and the 5th Advance Course (IO). The course has an aim of improving their performance by familiarizing the participants with the latest developments in security work and policing. According to Security Media, those who participated included non-commissioned officers, officers, and other people from different sections of the investigation department. The program was a joint effort of the Abu Dhabi Police Training Department, Policing Operations Directorate and the Investigation Department of Abu Dhabi Police. (Security Media 2012, Online). Skills Training Prior to and During a Career in Policing Policing is a career that requires continual professional development. Research tend to agree that “police officers must have a diverse skill set and knowledge on topics including criminal law, investigative skills and risk effective decision making” (Glasgow and Lepatski n.d., 17). Criminal law has become more complex with the use of technology and this increases the challenge of acquitting the police officers with skills that match the kind of work they are entitled to handle. This training should not only be prior to their career in policing but also during the course of their career. Prior to starting a career in policing the police undergo training basic areas like: in constitutional law and civil rights, use of firearms, accident investigation, state laws and local ordinances, self-defense, emergency response and first aid. After a police officer gets a placement, he/she takes 6 months to three years to be eligible for a promotion. Training is also one of the ways the police officers get promotion. Acquiring certain kinds of skills qualifies officers to take on higher levels of work. They are able to specialize in a certain area of police work. As an officer moves one level to the next, the knowledge and skills required increases. Failure to provide this training results to inadequate and failed investigation which leads to more dire consequences like dismissal and wrong convictions. Before investigators in different ranks are allowed to engage in their investigations. There should be a process of determining their competencies. The most important in the police investigation is the senior investigator. To determine competence of a senior investigator, a critical approach couples with task analysis can be used. The tasks analysis involves giving the officer several tasks, responsibilities and processes involved in the process of criminal investigation. On the other hand, the critical trait approach identifies the skills, behavior and methodologies that are a mark of distinction between an average investigator and a superior one (Dubois 1993, 18). In the United Arab Emirates, the police do not have as much freedom as The State Security Authority. The SSA has more powers which exceed that of the police departments in carrying out its investigative function. It deals with investigations of higher level crimes like terrorism and espionage which pose a threat to national security. (Al-Muhairi 2008, 111). There needs to be continued reviewing of important criminal investigations so that shortcomings in developing and training officers could be identified and dealt with. According to Blum and Polisar (2012), training for police work has the goal of not only acquiring skills but also retaining the learned laws and procedures. Most training that takes place for the police employs the adult education learning which enhances skill acquisition and retention. One of the major psychological skills can be acquired is stress-exposure management. This ensures that when investigators confront a stressing issue, it does not harbor their decision making and they can be able to adopt quickly and take the necessary action in that situation. Another skill that is highly valuable is work fitness. This is a requirement that is stressed prior to joining the police force. However, it is highly perishable like the rest of the skills and without continual upgrading would hinder the efficiency of an investigator. The police University academy offers stress training both internal and external stress. Anger management is a core concern for personnel in the police department. To expose students to stress at the academy, academy officials deliberately induce stress to the students through harassment, punishments or even criticism. According to Marion (1998), the police academy employs there types of learning; skills learning, attitude learning and knowledge learning. It is important to balance between the three types of learning in order to get holistically trained graduates. In knowledge learning, students spend time in class learning policies, laws and rules that pertain to policing. Skills training is basically taught by having the recruits repeat a skill until it becomes almost their nature. This is accomplished through simulated situations or hands-on experience in the field. Some of the skills include physical training, self-defense, use and handling of firearms and communication skills. Attitude training aims at helping the recruits embrace a good attitude towards work and the policing career. Dubai Police Academy offers undergraduate courses License in Law and Police sciences as well as graduate courses like Master of Police Science in Criminal Investigations, Master of Law in Criminal Sciences and Doctor of Criminal Sciences among others. All the programs offered at the academy are approved by the Commission of Academic Accreditation, an arm of the Ministry of Higher Education in the UAE (Dubai Police Academy Website, Online). Police investigator also take investigative courses internationally especially in the United Kingdom. Skills Training Vs Practical investigation Experience The Criminal Investigation Department is the backbone of security in the UAE. It is responsible for controlling all forms of crime by following crime developments and exploiting all possible means to prevent it. It deals with minor crimes like verbal disagreements and quarrels as well as more serious crimes like kidnappings, armed robberies, rape and murders. Criminal investigators acquire wide knowledge and prowess through experience. However experience alone cannot be able to maintain the investigators since the crimes increase everyday and most of the criminals employ latest techniques and technologies in carrying out crimes. This calls for a combination of skills training with the experiences. The Criminal Investigation Department has come up with a sophisticated training program called Investigator that was developed and is being taught at the Dubai Police Criminal Investigations Administration. This program is believed to be a first of its kind and a great innovation in the criminal sciences field in the UAE. According to ‘The National’, “the course teaches the officers skills ranging from body-language interpretation to interrogation and surveillance methods” (The National 2011, online). The investigators who participate in the course are exposed to new investigation techniques as well as newly developed scientific methods. It employs the veteran officers’ experience in lectures and practical sessions. Training in skills help to enhance investigations. The quality of investigation increases as training increases. According to The National, graduates from the investigative training at the Dubai Police Criminal Investigations Administration have led all the successful investigations on major cases for three years. (The National 2011, Online). Every year graduates have been released from this training program and their activities followed. It has been established that the graduates perform better after undergoing the program. Nevertheless, training alone cannot quality success in investigation. There are certain things that can be leaned during training while other skills can only be acquired when doing the practical work and gaining experience. A look at job adverts for investigators proves that to be trusted to carry out investigation efficiently, an officer should have had at least five years experience in investigative work. The Allied Compliance Consultants (ACC) provides on-site training to the Dubai Police in the financial investigation department. They are trained to handle financial frauds, financial crimes and accounting malpractices. Police who go through this kind of training are able to detect, prevent and correct financial crime threats. (ACC website). On-site training has the advantage of the officers acquiring the skills as they put them to practical use. Customs Criminal Investigation Training offers investigative training for their officers. This program is offered in collaboration of Custom Investigations experts from UK. According to Ameinfo, the course has theoretical aspects as well as practical aspects. The theoretical parts of the course teaches things like building inspection, research methods, proving and maintaining evidence among other things. On the practical side, participants are requires to exchange roles and impersonate a customs inspector and a suspected passenger. They are required to apply all the theoretical methods they have learned. In this way, the practical and theoretical dimensions are married to produce more efficiency. In an article published by The Police Chief magazine, “Why Things Go Wrong in Police Work” Blum and Polisar explain that, the two most important elements in police performance, that is, effective decision making and accurate judgment, are skills that are highly perishable and are rapidly degraded when there is absence of continual training and practice. This article advises that many errors could be avoided if a system of training and practice is put in place so that officers can learn how to anticipate occurrences and come up with ways of responding to them. As much as experience in an investigative field is very vital, lack of ongoing training results in mistakes in instances when an unexpected thing occurs like a threat. Training skills do not only prepare investigators it enhances their practical experience which results improved quality of investigation. Learning should be combined with practical operations. Possible improvements to the developments of Investigative Skills There are some improvements that could be made in developing investigative skills in the United Arab Emirates. Some of the improvements could come through partnerships in training between UAE and the British police training academies. Other improvements include technology advancement, information management and sharing, embracing globalization and measurement. Partnerships UAE Interact website posted on 24th July 2011 the news of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Dubai Police Academy (DPA) and the New Scotland Yard Crime academy. During the signing, DPA’s academy director Major General Dr. Mohammed Ahmed bin Fahad remarked the academy’s intention is to “establish an international excellence center for training of police and law enforcement personnel in the region” (UAE Interact 2011, Online). Such a partnership will enable the Dubai Police Academy to sharpen their skills and knowledge and acquire the latest police and security techniques. This would contribute to gaining of excellent investigative skills since the Crime Academy’s vision is “to be the world leader for training investigators with the knowledge and skills and related specialist techniques …” (UAE Interact 2011, Online). Technology The UK employs software for crime investigation. The software has dedicated tasks like Scene of crime reconstruction, fingerprint matching and vehicle plate recognition. The police forces in the UK also use the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System (HOLMES) which uses a Dynamic reasoning engine. The engine can search all incidents that are stored in the system. Since HOLMES was designed by a single contractor (Cambridge Neurodynamics Limited), there is compatibility with all police forces. This helps in correlating data on cases and getting links. According to Adderly and Musgrove (2001), a Violent Criminal apprehension System (VICAP) is computer software that has greatly improved the investigative departments. “It uses pattern analysis to monitor case activity enabling investigator(s) to trace travelling criminal who is actively involved in major violent crime. When a new case comes up, it is entered in the system and the system compares and contrasts the variables of the case against those already in the database. It then gives ten most probable cases that have a similarity to the one entered. The VICAP system does not only manage administration files and support investigation; it also facilitates training in crime investigation. The UAE police investigators should aim at not only borrowing such technological advances into their investigation, but also having acquiring technological training of using such softwares. Information Management and sharing Berg et al (2008), assert that police investigations are embedded in knowledge. The process of investigation is a process where the information is turned into knowledge. Therefore they say that the police should be willing to create and share knowledge (Berg Et al 2008). However, knowledge sharing is a difficult decision in the police force. One of the hindrances to knowledge sharing in the UAE is lack of adequate systems and routine, lack of information responsibility and lack of resources. Information in police work includes personal experiences, documented institutional orders as well as computer records. To increase the sufficiency of adopting information technology, training is required to increase Information Technology competence. Police knowledge is divide into two; explicit knowledge and implicit knowledge. Explicit knowledge guides police in making decisions and taking actions and it is collected in from of general orders policies procedures among others. Implicit knowledge means the experience, competence and skills of an officer. As stated earlier, investigations are concerned with gathering evidence leading to an arrest of a criminal and collection and presentation of the testimony and evidence collected to facilitate trial and conviction. To be able to manage information and share it is the decision of the Senor Investigation Officer (SIO) who is the manager of an investigative unit. This calls for training of SIOs to handle the six police manger roles. They include; motivating, resourcing, networking role, problem solving role, liaising role and gatekeeping role (Karlsen and Gottschalk 2002; Berg Et al 2008). United Kingdom has a more centralized more centralized government as opposed to the United Arab Emirates. UK has initiatives like the National Intelligence Model (NIM) which is a compulsory policy. United Arab Emirates could improve their investigative police developments by centralizing operations in the seven emirates also intelligence sharing. According to Kirby and Penna (2011), The NIM brought together current good practices in how the police in all of England identified and dealt with crime. It also ensures consistency in the way the police in England and Wales process information and process it to be actionable intelligence. This ensures use of common processes and terminology and it facilitates seamless passing of information vertically and horizontally. Embracing Globalization Organized crime has embraced globalization. This calls for investigative police to do the same if they have to be successful in preventing and combating crime. Mobility for detectives is very important especially when dealing with organized crimes. Investigators need international clearances and policies should be set to increase investigator’s mobility. This also calls for training in international worldwide criminal events and also international law and criminal policies. Measurement There need to be put in place processes that will be used to measure the efficiency of the police activity. This will not only help in accountability but it will also help in identifying areas that need more training. An important measurement tool is evaluation and assessment. Conclusion Although there are very few studies carried out in the area of investigative skills training and development in the UAE, the available information shows the efforts of the Ministry of Interiors to ensure a competence police force. Training in law and policing is available prior to and in the course of a policing career. However it is not adequate and the investigative departments in the emirates need to ensure that their investigative police continually acquire training in skills and combine it with practical experiences. Embracing current technological developments and globalization as well as employing new trends in crime detection, investigation and resolution will ensure successful and efficient criminal investigation. 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