The National College of Policing and Law Enforcement has held its graduation ceremony for students who successfully completed various courses.

The ceremony, held last Thursday night at the Iskandar Building, was graced by the Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Mariyam Mariya. The event was attended by Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau, police executive officers, and senior officials from the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement.

In her speech at the ceremony, Minister Dr. Mariya stated that police officers are not just there to enforce the law, but they need to be law-abiding, ethical, capable, and exemplary individuals. She emphasized the importance of higher education and training in shaping capable and professional officers.

The Minister also mentioned that the Ministry of Higher Education is working on incorporating areas such as cybercrime, digital forensics, and other related fields into the current higher education curriculum in the Maldives.

"These trainings provide officers with the knowledge and skills needed to address modern crimes and challenges. These trainings will become a tool that facilitates the use of the most modern techniques and resources in law enforcement," the Minister said.

Additionally, the Minister stated that efforts are being made to provide equal opportunities for higher education to all police officers, including female officers and those stationed on islands.

Speaking at the ceremony, Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau said that the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement now offers opportunities for training in various fields. He noted the academic achievements of officers, many of whom have pursued higher education, including Master’s degrees, after joining the service with minimal educational qualifications.

"I want to tell the Maldivian youth to take advantage of the opportunity when the next intake for the College of Policing opens. Seize the opportunity to pursue higher education in the field you want to advance in within the police service. Those who want to become forensic experts or skilled investigation officers will have that opportunity," the Commissioner said.

The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 297 students across four distinct courses. This includes 208 students from the Diploma in Criminal Investigation course, 27 students from the Diploma in Security and Risk Management course, 37 students from the Masters in Leadership and Management (Policing and Security) course, and 25 students from the Diploma in Forensic Investigation course.