– The Higher Education Act makes demands for quality in the higher education sector. What we see is that this subject does not have a syllabus of that quality, says associate professor Hilgunn Olsen at KRUS to news. – It is at too low an academic level for you to give credits, she adds. Never before has the elective “Drugs and doping – knowledge and practical work” been the subject of a so-called peer review. The subject gives police students 7.5 credits upon passing the exam, and is mainly taught online, according to the website of the Police Academy (PHS). Hilgunn Olsen is an associate professor at the Norwegian Correctional Institution (KRUS). Photo: KRUS At the beginning of June, a committee submitted its report to PHS. news has been given access to the report. But despite the fact that a unanimous committee believes the syllabus is too bad, headmaster Nina Skarpenes tells news that the syllabus and the subject will continue for the police students who have chosen it in the autumn. – The study is also offered in the autumn, but will be developed in parallel. Exactly how this is to be done, we do not have the opportunity to answer at the moment, writes Skarpenes in an e-mail through the communication unit in PHS. Dagbladet mentioned the peer review first. – Sounds unwise. The Committee therefore believes that the curriculum literature is of too poor a quality. They also believe that the subject should encourage more critical reflection and discussion about the use of force against citizens, than it does today. Much of the syllabus consists of the “Signs and symptoms” technique, which is used by the police to assess whether a person is under the influence of drugs. Associate Professor Olsen says the technique does not appear scientific, and says that using the technique is using force. She says it “sounds unwise” to continue teaching the subject until the autumn, without making major changes to the syllabus. – The knowledge they gain is most important in traffic, to get an indication of intoxication, so that they can take further steps to discover whether this is the case. But the problem with using the method anywhere else is that it is hardly random who is subjected to the test, she tells news. The method came to Norway through a police officer who took a course in a similar technique in the USA, according to the Role Understanding Committee’s report. The committee examined the links between the police and the interest organization NNF, formerly known as NNPF. PHS’ ties to the organization were a large part of the committee’s report. The technique was taught at both the Norwegian Police Academy and NNF. The course was compulsory at PHS until 2015. – The police exercise power. With that comes a lot of ethical assessments, which police students have in other subjects. But we are calling for it to be linked here as well, because they learn about the use of force, says Olsen. – It’s a bit scary to have all that knowledge of signs and symptoms out there without the reflections on its use from an ethical perspective. Because of this, there has not been good enough training on this. In the recent report to the Drug Enforcement Committee, however, it is proposed to legislate the method, because it is considered to be minimally invasive. – Too bad it was found out afterwards The vast majority of people who have trained as police officers have taken the course, according to the report to the Role Understanding Committee. Leader Alexander Stokkedal in PF The police students also hope that the course will be changed so that it meets the requirements set out in the law. – It is a shame that it is found out afterwards that many have taken the education. But it is good that it is looked at by external and internal parties, and that we get to develop the content of parts of the education so that it meets the requirements in the future, says Stokkedal to news. Alexander Stokkedal is the leader of the Police Union’s team for police students. Photo: Privat He also points out that the police students discuss the use of force in several other subjects throughout the course of study. He himself chose the subject as a second-year student at PHS, and thinks he has benefited from it later. – There is a reason why many people take that subject. You may find that the hours you have as part of the bachelor’s course in relation to drugs and doping are very few. But if the knowledge is not up-to-date or scientific enough, it is important that it be changed in the future. Principal Skarpenes writes that she believes the conclusion and assessments of the committee are important to take with you. – The police’s work in the drug field has previously been largely based on experiential knowledge. As a university, we have a responsibility to use both experience-based and research-based knowledge where it exists. We will thoroughly review the assessments in the autumn and use these as a basis for the further development of the study. Published 03.07.2024, at 14.52
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– Too low level – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
