The National Police Academy (NPA) unveiled a state-of-the-art driving simulator, new classrooms and security upgrades to their facility on Tuesday. Together, these items will enable the NPA, Pakistan’s premier police training institution, to increase its training capacity and better develop the current and future leaders of the Police Service of Pakistan. The upgrades were unveiled at an event marking the project’s completion, where NPA Commandant Muhammad Tahir was joined by the United States Embassy’s International Narcotics & Law (INL) Enforcement Affairs Director Jason Donovan and other delegates. The upgrades were made possible by Rs 92 million in funding from the US government. At the event, Jason Donovan highlighted the history of partnership between the US Embassy and Pakistan’s police. “Today’s event marks another step in the partnership between the US Embassy and the NPA and the broader law enforcement community in Pakistan. In Pakistan, as in the US, we depend on policemen and women to protect us. We will continue to stand together with you and with Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies, in your mission to protect and serve,” he said. Donovan noted that the NPA’s advanced training help senior police lead their organisations and also highlighted the NPA’s role in providing opportunities for women in policing. For almost 40 years, the US and Pakistan have worked to improve citizen security and enhance police capacity across Pakistan. The US State Department’s Bureau of INL Enforcement Affairs, which provided this funding, works in more than 90 countries to help combat crime and corruption, counter the narcotics trade, improve police institutions and promote court systems that are fair and accountable. Published in Daily Times, November 28th 2018.