The car approaches at high speed from a side street, abruptly stopping by a courtyard.

A man armed with a machine gun jumps out. Pulls the trigger.

A dead body lies on the ground as a result.

A woman looking at the scene from an open window screams. The killer flees. The murder witness calls the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP). First Responders from a PCP patrol arrive.

A policewoman takes a statement from the witness. The crime scene is secured and sealed off. The First Responders call the PCP HQ and the Prosecutor’s office. Consequently, a Forensic Team is sent to the crime scene wearing surgical masks and an overall while suite for preservation of evidence (including DNA).

This scene setting is one of several practical scenarios on which PCP officers from several West Bank districts have exercised for the last 8 weeks during the Specialised Investigations Certificate Training Course, held at the Palestine College for Police Science (PCPS) in Jericho, supported by EUPOL COPPS.

Topics of the course included Human Rights in Policing, Code of Conduct for Police Officers during Investigation, Criminal Procedures Code, Cybercrimes, Communication Skills during Investigation, Organised Crime.

The participants came from Jericho, Tubas, Nablus, Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya, Tubas, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Tulkarm. Each of them was selected by the respective departments, representing all together the five pillars of investigations within the Palestinian Police: Tourism and Antiquities, Family and Juvenile Protection, Investigations Department, Criminal Investigation Department, and Anti-Narcotics.

EUPOL COPPS Head of Mission (HoM), Felix Andaker and the Chief of the PCP, Maj. General Allam attended a graduation ceremony for the course on 27 July, in Jericho.

In congratulating the cadets on their achievements, the HoM underlined EUPOL COPPS’ commitment to further supporting training programmes, trainers, and future participants.

EUPOL COPPS strives to support its Palestinian counterparts in the Justice and Security Sector, to the overall aim of contributing to peace and security within the framework of the wider EU commitment in Palestine and the wider region.