RSS trains and recognises police men and women

Members of the Regional Security System (RSS) were this week engaged in training sessions as they seek to improve their skills and in turn those of fellow police men and women.{{more}}

The sessions took place at the New Montrose Hotel. The opening ceremony took place on Monday, February 13, 2012.

Members of the RSS Training Institute Education Committee were in attendance, including representative for St Vincent and the Grenadines Assistant Superintendent of Police Kamecia Blake.

Other Regional committee members in attendance were ACP Davidson Whyte of Antigua and Barbuda, Inspector Christine Stanford of Barbados, Sergeant Clem Bruno of Dominica, Asp Vannie Churn of Grenada, and Inspector Terrace James of St Kitts and Nevis, and Inspector Macadam Seamy of St Lucia.

Representative from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Dr Carol Grants and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Eric Godrow and Lisa Boot were also in attendance.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Facilitator and Senior Learning Consultant of the RCMP Lisa Boot explained that the training will engage committee members, providing them with information on how to develop their skills in order to make them more efficient and effective in their service.

Also giving remarks at the opening ceremony, Director of Training Commander Tyrone James stated that the need for more training in RSS member states was identified by the RSS in 2009, following a United Nations report which suggested solutions to problems within the police force.

James stated that according to the report, the solution to the pressing problem of legitimacy and credibility of the police forces- especially in small states like the RSS Member States – resides in an enhanced system of training, specifically an enhanced and intensified programme of regional training.

He added that the RSS, to facilitate this, included in their strategy plan for 2010/2020 the need to establish an RSS Training Institute to address the skills and capacity limitations evident within the security forces of the RSS Member States.

Commissioner of Police Keith Miller, giving brief remarks at the opening ceremony, thanked the members of the RCMP for their contribution to training members of the RSVPF and indentified training as one of the ways forward for the police force.

“We will not be able to move forward unless we have the ‘know how’” Commissioner said. “We have to welcome the RSS training institute. We have to have proper guidance in efforts to have proper policemen,” he added.

The opening ceremony also saw the presentation of awards to top participants of the Staff and Command course. ASP Kamecia Blake of the RSVP received an award for her performance on that course, along with participants from Antigua and Barbuda and St Lucia.