Rapid advancements in technology offer innovative tools for police training. The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) introduced a computer-based police training education program.. Their effort engaged and enlisted the support of key leadership of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) to champion the training tool. As a tactic, the computer-based police training program provided a tool to promote community policing. The training helps police to better address their own immediate day-to-day policing challenges. While the training also serves to build mutual trust, acknowledgement and support.

The Concept of “Professional Policing”

Forum-Asia is a regional human rights organization created in 1991. The headquarters is in Bangkok. The organization has worked toward promoting community policing. They focus on more accountability and transparency in Thailand and other countries in Asia. 

A very important aspect of Forum-Asia’s tactical approach was not to label the training program “Police and Human Rights”. But rather a focus on “Professional Policing.” This concept was a program of police and for police. It was a focus on bringing practical skills. Forum-Asia wanted to address the practical behavioral skills which police officers need in their day-to-day work. The training offered police these practical skills to meet the needs of police themselves.

Building Trust and Cooperation

This new police training program achieved two main aims:

• To introduce a practical and effective training on human rights into the police training classrooms; and
• To introduce modern and sophisticated computer-based training method. This was a way to influence how other topics couple in the police training curriculum could be taught.

There are many benefits to this approach:

• First, Forum-Asia used their previous experience. Police training institutions are usually the more open-minded. Often the more ‘liberal’ parts of police organizations. This made them an ideal environment for introducing a technology-based training. They are more open to co-operation with civil society. Official approval from the central leadership of police is generally required. But this openness is helpful for developing co-operation. Providing training that genuinely addresses police needs provided a way to open the door for cooperation.
• Second, Forum-Asia provided highly professional and practical training. Police saw the direct benefits of the training to their work. This built relations of confidence and even friendship between the organization and police. This provided a foundation for a more long-term relationship based on a growing awareness from both partners. The relationship is not based on criticizing each other but having common goals. Such as serving the community and, in particular, the more vulnerable groups in society.
• Third, Forum-Asia was able to leverage the training program to help establish confidence. This allows future inroads to tackle more delicate issues of police reform, such as community policing.

Impact Beyond the Training Program

It was a successful and relatively speedy introduction of the new training program in Thailand. This enabled Forum-Asia to organize a regional workshop together with the RTP and the Police Education Bureau in Bangkok in June 2004. This training included the participation of representatives from civil society and top level police from eight other Asian countries. 

For more information on this tactic, read our in-depth case study.