Police constable sets new benchmark by doing Ph.D

Police constable Tahir Khan, who recently received doctorate in biotechnology, has become the talk of the town. Talking to journalists he said when he was recruited as police officer, his family was not doing well financially but he did not let his circumstances discourage him. Despite hardship and adverse circumstances, he kept going. Even though it took him ten years, he eventually completed his Ph.D. During his interview, he said he has neither purchased clothes nor shoes in the last ten years. What makes his achievement noteworthy is that the guy is employed at a position that requires mere matriculation.

Our country needs more Tahir Khans. I believe every police officer should be educated to at least a degree. The educational requirement for an individual to be recruited as constable is mere matric. Raising the educational requirement can go a long way in civilizing uncouth Pakistani police which is notorious for its highhanded tactics against citizens. Unnecessary violence and misbehavior with citizens is rampant. This can be easily corroborated by statistical data and news clippings from the past few years. The actual rate, however, could be much higher because cases of abuse at hands of belligerent law enforcers are seldom reported.

Evidence from a study conducted by Dr. William Terrill suggests that formal education lessens the likelihood that police officers will use force to elicit compliance from citizens. The study asserts that police officers with higher education tend to use reasoning, creativity, and problem solving skills of a higher order to tackle problems. They do not see any value in resorting to manipulation and misbehavior.

Despite glaring evidence that education can improve conduct of police officers, legislators in Pakistan are slow at incorporating better educational standards into the police profession. Globally speaking, law enforcement agencies that introduced higher education as a pre-requisite for entering the profession, saw increased professionalism, reduction in moral turpitude, better problem solving, and more stable community relations.

Educated police officers are more proficient with information technology. They are better at managing budgets. They have a better understanding of SOPs of the police department. They are less likely to be subjected to disciplinary actions and internal investigations. They have a higher predisposition towards innovative thinking. They have better report writing skills because they know how to articulate thoughts. They take criticism better than their less educated counterparts. They have wider array of career opportunities outside the police department which comes handy when they retire or leave police department. But most importantly they are less likely to use force against unarmed and defenseless citizens.

Reforms won't be easy. It is going to take a pint of planning, some commitment, and a lot of sacrifice for current police officers to go back to school. Going for classes can be tough when police officers are working rotating shifts, attending trainings, and making appearances in courts. But with online schools like Virtual University of Pakistan and Allama Iqbal Open University, police officers can now study at their own pace. Distance learning will allow them to work around their schedule.

While I'm not saying that academic education is a substitute for street experience, I do believe educated police officers will be an asset to their department and the society at large. To top off academic education, there should be mandatory on-job workshops that cover law, advanced firearms, and combat training. Once equipped with both, hard and soft skills, police officers are likely to make better decisions when thrown into demanding situations. They will approach suspects with discretion and tolerance. They will be polite with the public and patient when confronting resistance.

The landscape is changing. Law enforcement in Pakistan has seen dramatic shifts over the years. With the advent of technology, computing skills are now a must. Understanding forensic science, which plays an important role in production of evidence in courts, is important. Moreover, a police officer with the knowledge of computer science is better equipped to fight cybercrime.

When asked what he thinks about ramping up the educational requirements for police officers, a police officer said he welcomes the idea but there should be a commensurate rise in wages. He said better incentives will be required to attract more educated people. He said police wages fall short of being competitive and perks are not as lucrative as they used to be.