The INL-Supported Curriculum Development Program of the Sindh Police: How Effectively Does It Meet the Needs of Police Officers?

Abstract

The current research evaluates the extent to which the texts of the curriculum fulfill the professional needs of law enforcement personnel in matters of criminal investigation, procedural knowledge, and application of case law. The Curriculum Development Program, funded by the INL and carried out by the Sindh Police, was initiated with the objective of developing the capacity for investigation through the use of six specialized textbooks in response to the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s directive for the development of uniform handbooks for investigations. The qualitative survey was conducted with 100 randomly chosen police officers of Karachi Range, including Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, and Station House Officers, from 100 police stations of the city. A questionnaire and discussion with police officers measured the perception of police regarding the usability, comprehensibility, and applicability of the six curriculum books. However, they found it wanting in aspects pertaining to the integration of judicial precedents. The Handbook of Criminal Investigation was found to be legally correct but impractical for implementation in the field. Basic Investigation was found practical but wanting in aspects pertaining to case laws. Advance Investigation was found to bridge the theory and procedure gaps but was found to be crime-specific in nature. Forensic Investigation was found to provide insight but was lacking in aspects pertaining to admissibility of evidence. Criminal Law was found to be introductory in nature but lacking in-depth case laws. Police Station Working Module was found to be practical in nature but lacking in legal substance. Changes to the curriculum should include the analysis of case law at all procedural levels, merging legal theory with practical applications in the field. Future print versions should include precedents from judicial decisions without making the product less user-friendly, include guidelines for the admissibility of forensic evidence, and improve analytical strength to increase conviction rates.