This week An-Najah University and EUPOL COPPS have collaborated to facilitate a workshop on crime scene investigation and forensics for police investigators and prosecutors in the West Bank.

EU Police Coordination Office for Palestinian Police Support (EUPOL COPPS), the Office of the President Assistant for International and Strategic Affairs and the Medical Forensics Unit are co-operating to facilitate and host a specialized training course for investigators and prosecutors from across the West Bank. The workshop is funded and sponsored by EUPOL COPPS and hosted by An-Najah University, whilst being facilitated by both parties. The key EUPOL COPPS representative for this venture, Michael Schulte (Criminal Justice and Police Law expert) along with An-Najah University’s President Assistant of International and Strategic Affairs and Steven Royle, Fundraising and International Projects Officer, and medical forensic experts from An-Najah University are closely involved with the training.
Eight investigators and eight prosecutors from across the West Bank have been put forward to attend. An invitation to attend the workshop has also been extended to certain students at An-Najah University who are likely to be involved in the field of justice, investigation and prosecution in the future. The goal of this workshop is support and equip both police and prosecutors for the roles the play within the criminal justice system within Palestine. It is a part of the EUPOL COPPS long term focus in supporting the Palestinian Authority in establishing effective policing arrangements which can become sustainable.Michael Schulte commenced the course on Sunday by asking “What do you know about me purely from how I stand before you?” He required the course attendees to say what they thought of him including age, background, interests and activities. The result was that assumptions cannot be made until there is clear evidence and justification for the conclusions. As the course progresses and becomes more specialized there will undoubtedly interesting exercises and lessons on techniques which will support and equip the investigators and prosecutors in serving the Palestinian criminal justice system.The course and workshops are to involve specialized training for prosecutors and investigators on crime scene investigation and forensic science techniques. There is also to be explanations and involvement in an autopsy with a medical point of view being contributed to by an An-Najah University pathologist. It is to take place from Sunday 4^th October to Wednesday 7^th October, at An-Najah Forensic Medical Unit on the New Campus.