Taiwanese police undergo rigorous training to prepare them for their duties in maintaining public safety and law enforcement. The training process includes a combination of classroom education, physical conditioning, and practical field exercises. Here’s an overview of how Taiwanese police officers are trained:
1. Recruitment and Basic Training
- Recruitment: Candidates must pass a competitive entrance examination that tests general knowledge, physical fitness, and other skills. Successful candidates are admitted to police academies for further training.
- Basic Training: New recruits undergo basic training at one of Taiwan’s police academies, such as the Taiwan Police College or the Central Police University. The duration of this training can range from six months to two years, depending on the program. Training includes physical fitness, self-defense, firearm use, and crowd control techniques. It also covers laws, regulations, criminal justice, and police ethics.
2. Academy Education
- Police Academies: In Taiwan, there are specialized institutions like the Central Police University (CPU) and Taiwan Police College (TPC) where recruits receive both theoretical and practical training.
- Curriculum: The curriculum covers law, criminology, forensics, human rights, psychology, sociology, and public relations. Recruits also learn about Taiwan’s legal system, constitutional rights, and international human rights standards.
3. Field Training and Specialization
- Field Training: After completing the academy, recruits participate in field training under the supervision of experienced officers. This on-the-job training period allows them to apply what they’ve learned in real-life situations.
- Specialized Units: Officers may receive additional specialized training if they join specific units, such as traffic police, SWAT teams, criminal investigation units, or cybercrime units. These programs focus on specialized skills like negotiation, forensic investigation, counter-terrorism, or digital forensics.
4. Physical and Tactical Training
- Physical Conditioning: Officers undergo regular physical fitness training, including strength and endurance exercises, self-defense, and hand-to-hand combat.
- Tactical Training: Police officers receive training in firearms use, tactical response, driving skills, and crowd control. They also train for emergency response situations, including natural disasters, riots, and terrorism.
5. Continuous Education and Development
- Ongoing Training: Taiwanese police officers are required to participate in ongoing education and training throughout their careers. This may include refresher courses, specialized workshops, leadership development programs, and updates on new laws, technologies, and policing methods.
- Human Rights and Ethics Training: Officers receive regular training on human rights, ethical standards, and how to handle sensitive situations, such as dealing with vulnerable populations or managing protests.
6. International Collaboration
- Collaboration with Other Countries: Taiwan collaborates with international organizations and law enforcement agencies from other countries to share knowledge, exchange best practices, and receive training in specialized areas such as counter-terrorism, cybercrime, and organized crime.
7. Community Policing Training
- Emphasis on Community Relations: Taiwan’s police training also emphasizes community policing, which involves building relationships with community members, understanding local needs, and promoting trust and cooperation between the police and the public.
Overall, Taiwanese police officers are trained to be well-rounded professionals with a strong focus on law, ethics, public safety, and community relations. The training is comprehensive, combining academic learning with practical skills to ensure they are prepared to handle a wide range of challenges.
Seems very well organized to me, but “Why do Taiwanese police seem to lack basic professionalism and quality？“