Our History

The journey of police training in the Maldives is one of transformation, resilience, and progress. It began with a pivotal moment in the nation's law enforcement history—when the Maldives Police Service was separated from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). This significant restructuring called for a specialised training framework to develop capable and professional law enforcement officers.

On 1st September 2004, following the disbandment of the existing Training Section under Maldives Police Service, the Law Enforcement Training Centre was established in the Customs Building. This marked the formal beginning of structured training under a dedicated institution for the police. As training philosophies evolved, the focus shifted towards modern, community-oriented policing. In November 2005, the Addu City Police Training School was established in Hithadhoo, and significant developments followed between 2006 and 2007, including the modernisation of classrooms, the addition of computer labs, and the upgrading of other facilities to improve the overall quality of training delivery. During this foundational stage, two consultants from Western Australia—Senior Superintendent Kathryn Blaine and Inspector Greg Roft—arrived in Maldives on 4th May 2006 to assist in the design and implementation of modern training programmes. Following their recommendations, key training sessions were conducted at the Addu Police Training School in S. Hithadhoo.

As the demand for higher academic standards in police training increased, a certificate-level training centre was created under the Department of Higher Education on 16th April 2006, named the Police Academy. Although basic recruit training was still conducted at the MNDF Training Centre during that time, steps were being taken to bring police education in line with national accreditation standards. These efforts bore fruit when the 14th batch of the Police Recruit Training Course graduated with the Maldives Accreditation Board-certified Certificate in Policing on 11th March 2008 in Addu. Over time, the academy also began delivering a range of in-service training programmes for police officers across the country.

However, on 8th February 2012, the police training school in Addu was destroyed by fire in a riot. Consequently, Dh. Vaanee became the new centre for police training and has remained so since.

With the aim of streamlining and elevating law enforcement education, the Police Academy was renamed the Institute for Security and Law Enforcement Studies (ISLES) on 4th June 2012, and it was officially registered as a college on 24th March 2013. From that point onward, all police training—including certificate, diploma, and degree programmes—was conducted under the newly formed college. Between 2013 and 2017, ISLES successfully ran three degree-level programmes. At the same time, tactical and field training continued under the Police Academy to ensure that both academic and operational readiness were maintained.

Recognising the need to further professionalise and expand the reach of police education across the Maldives, the Maldives Police Service officially established the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE) on 27th March 2022 in Addu City. As the successor to both ISLES and the Police Academy, NCPLE reflects years of institutional growth, experience, and forward-thinking vision.

Today, NCPLE serves as the nation's premier institution for police education—dedicated to providing high-quality academic and professional training to develop competent, ethical, and community-focused officers, capable of meeting the evolving demands of modern law enforcement.