KP Police set up wing to research child abuse, heinous crimes

PESHAWAR: A special research wing has been set up in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police for research and analysis with focus on understanding child abuse from social and policing perspective.

The wing will keep record of the statistics of incidents of heinous crimes and terrorism and suggest strategies. The initial focus will be on child abuse following a series of incidents of rape and murder of minors across the country in the last many months. Besides, it would conduct field studies to find challenges to the police force in the newly-merged districts, evaluate and modernise police welfare system, keep a check on the conduct of the police personnel, involve more and modern technology in policing and make workable recommendations for the capacity building of the station house officers, moharrirs and field and office staff.

“Previously three offices were set up for research and analysis, including Director Research at the Counter Terrorism Department, Superintendent of Police Research and Investigation and SP Research and Analysis Special Branch. This is for the first time that a dedicated Directorate for Research and Analysis has been set up at the CPO for the entire province,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sanaullah Abbasi told The News. He said the directorate would do comparative study of police system nationally and internationally, make recommendations for police reforms, extend cooperation to academic institutions, recommend modern policing techniques and more. The office of the director research and analysis has been set up at the Central Police Office (CPO) by posting Waqar Ahmad as its head. The director will work under the supervision of Additional Inspector General Headquarters and will have his own research staff. “Understanding child abuse from social and policing perspective stands on top of the proposed subjects for research and analysis at the newly set up wing,” an official told this scribe. The official added the wing would analyze the incidents of child sexual abuse across the province to find how the crime can be stopped and perpetrators duly punished. The director of R&A would be properly strengthened with specialized manpower, technology and other requirements in the next stage. An official informed that in Sindh, a specialised research wing is working under AIG while in Punjab a DIG is heading it. He added that under the Police Act, the IGP KP can appoint a Director Research at the CPO to improve research and analysis in the force. “The job of the directorate will be to use primary and secondary data, evaluate the system and make recommendations, conduct field studies to collect data, undertake comparative studies in specific areas to recommend best policy framework, follow recommendations from all stakeholders, and impart training to the concerned staff regarding collection of data and analsis,” said the official. He said that the directorate would highlight the emerging issues in the KP Police, evaluate and analyze these issues strategically and identify an efficient policy framework. He added that it would also recommend evidence-based solutions for improving the societal impact of policing.