AP Police Academy's distinction

DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: The prestigious Andhra Pradesh Police Academy (APPA), that has carved a niche for itself in training police officers not only from the state but also from other states and countries, will soon be elevated to the level of a University. Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has given his nod, in principle, to the proposal to upgrade the Academy into a University when APPA director C N Gopinatha Reddy came up with the proposal. Once upgraded as a University, APPA plans to award graduate and post-graduate degrees in police management not only to police officers but also to civilians who wish to pursue research studies on police affairs, according to Gopinatha Reddy. APPA is also planning to set up a Department of Management, Behavioural Sciences, Research and Evaluation Studies to train police officers in management and behavioural science. "The Department could also serve as a research centre on police affairs," the APPA director said. A Cyber Forensic Lab is also on cards to train police officers in modern crime, notably white-collar offences. The APPA was established in 1986 to serve as a nodal agency and an institution of higher learning for police and other law-enforcing agencies and grew to become a Centre of Excellence in police training. It has also won international acclaim with agencies like the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Development Fund for Women (Unifem) besides National Human Rights Commission, National Crime Records Bureau recognising it as their regional training centre or nodal agency for training officers from India and abroad. In fact, the UNODC declared APPA as its resource, research, development and nodal training centre and granted Rs 10 lakh for infrastructure development. APPA is likely to find its place in the Guinness Book of World Records for having provided in-service training to 8475 personnel in 2006 and 8020 in 2007, spanning a staggering 2.50 lakh training days. With such accomplishments on its back, the APPA is now aiming to become a regular university and award degrees. "In fact, officials of the Osmania University visited our Academy and found it fit to be recognised as their post-graduate centre and award master of police management degree to the trainee officers," Gopinatha Reddy pointed out. With the Chief Minister promising to get university status for APPA, police authorities are now drawing a detailed blueprint to make it a reality.