Police training
TO MOVE from an incident-driven, reactive institution to one that relies on the analysis of patterns, incidents and problems in order to understand the characteristics and causes of incidents, it was necessary for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to engage in a significant way in a process of capacity building and modernisation.
In what can be described as the beginning of a dynamic chapter in the history of the GPF, the services of The Emergence Group (TEG) of Washington DC was contracted by the CSP to provide expert training in a number of core areas.
The training, which was intensive, both theoretically and practically, was conducted during last year. It covered the major areas of Investigation and Detection of Crime, Information Management, Recruit Training, Case Management, Ethnic Human Rights, Strengthening of Internal and External Accountability Mechanisms, Police Mentoring, and Training Academy Capacity Building.
This area of any Police Force’s operation is critical to its success in solving crimes, and for the GPF, it was generally considered one of the weaker areas.
The intervention by the CSP sought to correct this deficiency in a significant way. During the months of March to May last year, TEG conducted courses in Crime-Scene Management, Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques, Informants and Gathering Intelligence, Crisis Intervention, Kidnapping, Drug Identification and Investigation, Effective Investigations, and Fraud and Financial Crimes.
Those who participated in these training sessions included constables, supervisors, investigators, crime-scene technicians, and detective supervisors.
The eight courses delivered under this topical area were designed to strengthen the capacity of these officers at reference, and expose them to techniques to allow for more efficient and effective police work.
Lisa Konrath, who served as the In-Country Project Manager, described the training programme as very successful, noting that the participants were at all times fully involved in the sessions.
She noted too that while changes will not come overnight, the GPF and the Guyanese people will benefit tremendously in the near future.
TEG assembled a talented and professional team of law enforcement experts to deliver on this project. They have a total of 380 years of domestic and international experience, and have provided technical and training assistance to over 100 countries.
The diverse composition of TEG has successfully demonstrated to the GPF that criminal justice professionals of many backgrounds, genders, races, religion and nationalities are experts in their fields who are capable of transferring their knowledge, skills and attitude to others.
To be continued…