“Take your studies seriously, then practice, practice, and practice some more,” is what Police Superintendent Ildebrandi Usana advises police officers and recruits undergoing training. Usana, along with three other officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) officers came back from a six-week exposure and information visit to police training programs at the Second Stand-by Police Academy in Eichstätt (II. Bereitschaftspolizeiabteilung or II.BPA). At a briefing for senior PNP officers, Usana and two of his colleagues shared their experiences and observations on “best practices” of the German Police Recruitment and Training System.

While local police training officers may not have full access to sophisticated equipment and training facilities available to their German counterparts, the more important elements of police officer training need not be dependent on material resources alone. One is the training program’s emphasis on practical communication and conflict management skills so that the police officers can effectively interact with community, and enforce arrests with the least chance of suspects resorting to violent behavior. Another is continuous physical training especially on unarmed self-defense techniques which provides the police officer with the confidence to employ, when necessary, non-lethal methods in reacting to police situations. “Putting a premium on sports and physical fitness also develops the trainees’ sense of discipline, leadership, and team spirit,” Usana added.

Other recommendations include the emphasis of the training programs on team-teaching, extensive use of practical exercises and simulation of policing operations. These will be shared with the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Public Safety College, the Philippine National Police Academy, and the Philippine National Training Institute in the process of reviewing the organizations’ training programs in an attempt to augment traditional “classroom-lecture” methods with practical, police scenario-based training exercises.

Usana’s other companions in the recent visit to Germany include Police Superintendent Datumama Mantawil Mokalid, Police Chief Inspector Alex Meimban Apolonio and Police Chief Inspector Wilfred Cruz Cervantes. Since 2008, under its existing partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) on human rights promotion and protection, respect for the rule of law and police training, HSF has organized study visits of PNP officers to Germany participated in by over thirty senior police officers and other government officials.