THE African Union Mission in Somalia has started training forty Somali police officers this week at the General Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu.
"The 30 men and 10 women are taking part in the first of four training programmes in Basic Criminal Investigation skills. Amisom police intend to train 160 SPF police personnel before the end of this year.The training will improve the skills of the Somali Police Force so that they can be professional in keeping the people of Somalia safe and secure, with crimes professionally investigated," a statement by Amisom read.
The two-week course aims at reducing violent crime in Mogadishu and other areas controlled by the newly-elected government.
Amisom Commissioner of Police Charles Makono said the course will bridge the gap created in the Somali Police Force by many years of violence and lawlessness.
“Initial investigations are very important for the administration of justice. This course will train officers in these techniques. The course will help the Somali Police Force handle cases brought before them in line with internationally recognised standards,” he said.
Makono was speaking at the inauguration of the training in Mogadishu on Tuesday.
He urged the participants to make the most of the opportunity.
The training involves practical work designed to deal with prevailing crimes in a post-conflict environment such as Somalia.
Amisom officials from Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe will carry out the training the course.
The Kenya Defence Forces and Amisom troops captured Kismayu in September. The port city was the last stronghold of the al Shabaab militia.
