Positive change seen in Uruzgan police behavior

TIRINKOT (PAN): Residents of the central Uruzgan province said Sunday that they had detected a positive change in the behavior of local police who had completed a training programme.

“Before, police would misbehave with people during searches, but now we can feel change in their attitude,” a Tirinkot resident, Qudratullah, said.

He said the better behavior of the police had improved the relationship between the police and the public.

By contrast, a resident of Khas Uruzgan district said that poorly trained policemen in his district had caused problems. He said policemen who had completed the course were noticeably better at dealing with ordinary people.

But a resident of Tirinkot, Shahid, said police commanders should be trained, because their behavior had an impact on subordinates.

“In the past, police behavior was not good with people when they would arrest an accused person, but now they have changed,” said human rights activist Abdull Ghafar Stanikzai.

So far 2,000 policemen have completed training at the provincial police training centre, local officials said, adding that the training was focused on police interaction with the public.

The governor, Mohammad Omar Sherzad, said police had a key role in society. He urged police to be polite.

Col. Fazel Ahmad Sherzad, the provincial police chief, said there had been many such changes in police behavior and training since he took charge.

mrh/ma/kg

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