Qatar’s Police College is opening its doors to its first batch of students tomorrow, slightly earlier than its slated September opening.
A total of 130 students have been enrolled into the four-year training program, where they will attain a bachelor’s degree in law and police science and the rank of lieutenant upon graduation.
Some 120 of the students are Qataris, while the remaining few hail from other Arab countries.
The budget for the college’s establishment is some QR2.5bn, according to the Peninsula, and comes as Qatar takes steps to increase its national security – including establishing a mandatory conscription law for young Qatari men and pouring billions of dollars into weapons systems.
Previously, Director of Police Training Institute Brig. Dr. Mohammed Abdullah al Mahanna al Marri has said that the goal of the new college is to produce highly trained police offers who can organize and maintain security at major events, such as the World Cup in 2022.
Admission
The Ministry of Interior has been overseeing admissions, with priority being given to those who are physically fit and have good high school records.
Although the degree will be in Arabic, some courses are to be conducted in English, according to a previous Qatar Tribune report:
He added that students of the college will enjoy a set of specialized courses in Britain and around the world for practical training and the acquisition of a variety of skills as well as the access to the latest forensic science and criminology.
“All literature or sciences students in secondary schools are eligible to attend the college,” he said.
The college is said to be open to both men and women, with Qataris having tuition, transportation, lodging and other expenses covered by the college. Expats attending the college have the option of applying for scholarships from their respective countries.
Processes
The college met official Emiri approval in Dec. 2013, after Sheikh Tamim issued Decision No. 161 of 2013 to establish and regulate the institution.
In February, the Ministry of Interior set up a supreme council to help develop the policies of the college. The following month, the college signed an Interpa (International Association of Police Academies) protocol in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Interpa currently runs 54 police academies and institutions in various countries.
According to a report from the Ministry of Interior, the protocol signing was “observed as a great achievement to the police college to get access for the exchange of experiences with other regional and international police colleges and academies.”
Just yesterday, the batch of students were seen attending orientation at the college.
Training needed
According to a US Bureau of Diplomatic Security report, the national murder rate in Qatar is currently 0.5 for every 100,000 residents, which is low compared to the global average of 4.0 per 100,000, based on United Nations data.
But crime levels in Qatar have been on the rise in recent years, and with a consistent influx in population figures, they are forecast to only keep climbing.
In May, Qatar’s population reached an all time high of 2.17 million, and with a number of developments under construction, Qatar is predicted to witness unparalleled annual population growth.
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