US trains Sri Lanka Police in interrogation techniques

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 June 2005, 11:17 GMT]
American law enforcement instructors completed two weeks of training Sri Lanka Police at the Police Higher Training Institute in Colombo on "Interview and Interrogation Techniques, Human Dignity and Ethics, and Community-based Policing," said a press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Colombo Thursday.

Full text of the press release follows:

UNITED STATES SHARES CRIMINAL INVESTEGATION TECHNIQUES WITH SRI LANKAN POLICE

Colombo, June 16, 2005. The U.S. Embassy and the Sri Lanka National Police have completed a new training program on Interview and Interrogation Techniques, Human Dignity and Ethics, and Community-based Policing at the Police Higher Training Institute in Colombo. The training is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Justice. Two American law enforcement instructors spent eight weeks in Sri Lanka training National Police Officers.

U.S. Department of Justice Training Coordinator Kevin Kittridge said, "Putting the needs of citizens first are an important part of any free society. By offering training assistance the U.S. Embassy hopes to assist Inspector General of Police Chandra Fernando in cultivating the investigative and community-interaction skills of the Sri Lankan National Police."

Since 2004, the United States has trained over 400 Sri Lankan and Maldivian Police Officers in Basic Criminal Investigation, Basic Narcotics Investigation, Crime Scene Investigation, Evidence Preservation, Basic Supervision, Management, and Human Rights. The latest training program, which began April 25 and ended June 17, trained 250 police officers.