Napolcom urges police field investigators to get certified

MANILA, Philippines - The National Police Commission (Napolcom) on Friday urged police field investigators who are criminology graduates to enhance their investigation aptitude by availing of skills upgrade trainings and being certified.

Napolcom Vice Chairman Eduardo Escueta said the agency has issued guidelines on the Certification Program for Field Investigators through Memorandum Circular No. 2013-002.

Escueta said the program prescribes a set of qualification standards on education, training, work experience, eligibility or license, and appropriate communication skills that must be complied with by a Field Investigator before he/she is certified as either Police Investigator, Police Detective or Case Manager.

Escueta added that the Philippine National Police had earlier adopted a Ladderized Investigative Training Program in the field of investigation to upgrade the level of competence and skills of its Field Investigators and to ensure that they meet the training requirements of the Certification Program, as follows: Criminal Investigation Course (CIC), Police Detective Course (PDC), Investigation Officer Basic Course (IOBC), and Investigation Officer Management Course (IOMC).

Escueta, however, clarified that only police personnel who are criminology graduates and with valid license issued by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) shall be eligible for certification under this program.

“Police personnel who are not graduates of BS Criminology or Bachelor of Laws shall qualify for certification as Police Investigators provided that they meet the work experience and training as prescribed under the Memorandum Circular,” Escueta said.

The Napolcom says all qualified members of the PNP assigned in the field of investigation will have six months to apply for the certification program. PNP personnel certified as Police Detective and Case Manager will be entitled to receive a Specialist Pay pursuant to NAPOLCOM Resolution No. 98-18 dated October 21, 1991. Consequently, a police officer certified as Police Detective shall be authorized to use a Police Detective Badge.

Escueta warned that the License of the Certified Police Investigator, Police Detective and Case Manager would be revoked or suspended if the police field investigator is found guilty of malpractice, incompetence, unprofessional conduct, serious ignorance or gross negligence in the practice of profession.