Some 80 policemen, gendarmes and prison guards have received a 4-day training on the techniques of criminal investigation conducted by Police of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI). The training took place in Korhogo, 580 km north of Abidjan.



The training was aimed at equipping the security agents with the skills that would enable them to determine accurately the author of a crime, Colonel Daga Salihou, the UNPOL regional coordination in Bouake said. "When a crime is committed, the judicial police are required to make their findings, track down its author and bring him or her before the law. To do so, the findings must be flawless," he said. The training, he said, would be of added value to security forces in that they would improve procedures and methods of investigation on the ground.



The deputy commander of the Gendarmerie 4th Legion in Korhogo, Cyrille Delora Yao said the training would make the judicial police more efficient in the field and improve their ability to bring criminals to justice.



The head of UNOCI's Scientific Police Unit, Commander Emmanuel Nsangou the training covered subjects including statement reporting, photography for criminal records, description of people and vehicles, observing a crime scene and collecting clues and evidence, securing the scene and determining the order of collecting evidence and clues.



At the end of the training which took place in the presence of UNOCI's regional office coordinator, Adama Tinde, participants requested more of such sessions and the availability of modern scientific materials for police investigation.