Inspector Katrina Tulela Iitengula, a forensic science specialist from the Namibian Police, has taken part in the Police Innovation and Leadership (PIL) Diploma offered by Dubai Police in partnership with the Rochester Institute of Technology. The diploma offered firsthand experience with Dubai Police’s comprehensive innovation and operational enhancement strategy, demonstrating that innovative policing can be achieved even in settings far removed from Namibia’s.
Iitengula became aware of Dubai Police’s structured approach to ensuring officer well-being and mental health, which she intends to slowly introduce in her own division. She also noticed significant cultural unity and a common dedication to advancement by interacting with colleagues from 39 nations.
Iitengula seeks to introduce this cooperative approach to Namibia’s internal training and leadership initiatives, incorporating Dubai Police’s exemplary practices in wellbeing, job satisfaction, and operational bodies like the Happiness and Positivity Council, which enhance work-life balance and internal communication.
As a ballistics specialist, Iitengula concentrated on comprehending the structural arrangement, tools, processes, and inter-departmental collaboration of the Dubai Police’s General Department of Forensic Evidence and Criminology. This understanding will assist in improving Namibia’s ability to obtain rapid, precise forensic results, a growing necessity in the justice system.
Iitengula sees her involvement in the PIL Diploma as an essential chance to promote women’s leadership in security. She aspires to utilize what she has learned here to support and enhance women’s empowerment in law enforcement, establishing female leadership as a benchmark of excellence, discipline, and career advancement.
As the diploma comes to an end, Iitengula heads back to Namibia with practical insights and a detailed implementation strategy, which involves launching wellbeing surveys and organized feedback mechanisms, improving communication between leadership and employees, and advancing gender equality within the police force.
JK WaDisho
