Cambridge University and Jindal Global Law School provide mid-career training to third batch of IPS officers

The third batch of eighty senior IPS officers completed an eight-week course in strategic management organized by the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) at Cambridge..The Ministry of Home Affairs had, in March last year, awarded the contract for the training to the Cambridge University in partnership with the JGU with the objective of strengthening the law enforcement mechanisms through knowledge based policing..Cambridge University decided to partner with the Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) in view of its special focus in this area because of the establishment of a Centre for Penology, Criminal Justice and Police Studies..Vice-Chancellor Professor C. Raj Kumar of O.P. Jindal Global University in the press release said: “I welcome the interest of the IPS officers in the growing field of ‘evidence-based policing,’ which is a central focus of our Centre for Penology, Criminal Justice and Police Studies at Jindal Global Law School. This collaboration between Jindal, Cambridge and the Indian police is a pioneering initiative that will help address some of the challenges of policing in India drawing upon the comparative and international perspectives and experiences.”.During the training programme, the participants visited the House of Commons where the participants had a very lively discussion with the Minister of State for Police and Criminal Justice, Nick Herbert, and the Director, Police Reform and Resources, Home office, Stephan Kershaw and the other members of the Home Affairs Select Committee..In the eight-week training programme, the IPS officers visited the Cambridge and Peterborough Crown Courts to discuss the UK Justice and legal system with the judges of the Crown Court. They also got an opportunity to visit the HMP Edmunds Hill and Highpoint Prison..For the first six weeks training at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad, the participants intensively focused on twice-daily lecture-workshop sessions, capped by weekly examinations and assessments. Each participant was also required to prepare a “Strategic Leadership Case” presentation on issues including corruption investigations, counter-terrorism, and interrogation methods and other relevant issues relating to policing. Lectures and workshops covered an even broader range of global issues, with faculty drawn from the US, Australia, UK and India..Course Co-Director Professor Lawrence Sherman at the University Cambridge said: “The IPS officers showed an impressive interest in advancing the science of policing by conducting pioneering new experiments in crime prevention on the rigorous model of medical clinical trials. With JGU’s support, the police agencies of India have the best opportunities in the world for producing a geometric increase in the scientific knowledge about effective police practices.”.With the completion of training of third batch, three hundred senior IPS officers of the rank DIG and IG have been trained so far under the Mid-career training programme conducted by the two Universities..Photo: (From Left-Right: Professor Lawrence Sherman, Wolfson Professor of Criminology, University of Cambridge; Professor C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University; Lord Ian Blair, former London Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni, Head of Education, Jindal Group)