PNP: 7,264 cops all over Phl complete investigation course

MANILA, Philippines - All police investigators nationwide are now competent to investigate criminal complaints and cases, according to a report by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

A report on training profile of investigators, obtained by The STAR, showed a total of 7,264 police personnel occupying investigative positions have completed the Criminal Investigation Course (CIC), which covered 178 subjects and took them from January 2011 to September 2012 to finish.

PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome credited retired Deputy Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr. then chief of Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), for initiating programs to train police investigators nationwide.

Before Cacdac’s program, The STAR reported that eight out of 10 police officers handling criminal investigation nationwide lacked formal training and skills, jeopardizing cases. In January 2011, records showed only 908 of 3,781 police officers occupying investigative positions in nine regions – roughly 24 percent – have formal training in case investigation.

As DIDM chief, Cacdac restructured, standardized and institutionalized the PNP Investigative Training Program for police investigators.

“From a high of 74.46 percent investigators who had no formal training on investigation but are occupying investigative positions nationwide, this very low competency can now officially be said as 100 percent accomplished,” Cacdac said in an earlier interview.

Records also indicated that there were a total of 1,413 other police officers who opted to take the CIC even if they are assigned to a non-investigation-related duty.

DIDM records also showed Metro Manila has the most number of trained police investigators with 1,212, although only 583 personnel are occupying investigative positions.

Region 3, which Cacdac headed few years ago, has the second largest number of trained police investigators with 1,208 personnel, followed by Region 4a with 963.