Blackburn police officer selected for Malaysia exchange programme
Tuesday, 14 April, 2009
PS Abid Khan
A Blackburn police officer has been specially selected to take part in a unique study exchange programme to Malaysia.
Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Abid Khan is one of five people travelling to Malaysia on the exchange, which has been funded by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
The Rotary Foundation's Group Study Exchange (GSE) programme is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business people and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.
Abid will spend a month living with families in Malaysia spending time on patrol with the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) to learn about the way they police their neighbourhoods and the quality of service they provide. He hopes his visit will include an insight into the policing of multi faith communities as well as learning about how the RMP promote positive interaction between religions and cultures and deal with complex issues such as terrorism.
He said: "I feel extremely privileged to be able to take part in this unique programme and am grateful to the Lancashire Constabulary and Chorley Astley Rotary Club for sponsoring me.
"I'm really looking forward to learning about different cultures and vocations and hope to use the experience to enhance my knowledge about how diverse communities are policed.
"Malaysia is a country with many different groups of people from different backgrounds and cultures and I am hoping to bring back lots of ideas to help improve the service the Constabulary offers to its diverse communities."
For more information about the programme or to keep up to date with the trip, visit http://gsemalaysia09.wordpress.com/
