LAW enforcement officers from across the Caribbean joined members of Guyana’s Joint Services on Monday as the Guyana Police Force (GPF) officially launched its Junior Officers’ Course #1/2026, a programme aimed at strengthening leadership, professionalism and regional cooperation among emerging security sector leaders.
The course commenced at the Police Officers’ Mess Annex at Eve Leary, Georgetown, with Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken urging participants to embrace integrity, discipline, and professionalism as they prepare to take on greater leadership responsibilities within their respective organisations.
The opening ceremony brought together officers from several Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, The Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Suriname.
Participants also include ranks from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Fire Service (GFS), Guyana Prison Service (GPS), and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).
Addressing the gathering, Commissioner Hicken said the programme had been redesigned following the accreditation of the Guyana Police Force Academy, and forms part of the Force’s broader strategy to enhance leadership development, professional training, and human resource capacity.
He explained that the curriculum places emphasis on leadership, ethics, accountability, critical thinking, information technology, and evidence-based decision-making, all competencies that have become increasingly important in modern policing and security management.
“The development of strong, competent and ethical leaders is critical to the future of policing and public safety,” Hicken said, while encouraging participants to uphold the highest standards of professionalism throughout the course and their careers.
The Police Commissioner also highlighted the Force’s investment in education and professional development, noting that more than 3,000 local scholarships and partnership opportunities have been facilitated for ranks. He added that hundreds of officers are currently benefiting from educational programmes through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).
Looking ahead, Hicken said the Force intends to expand training opportunities in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, intelligence analysis, digital forensics and digital investigations as part of efforts to modernise policing and strengthen institutional capacity.
He further disclosed that the Junior Officers’ Course will be delivered through a fully digital platform, reflecting the Force’s ongoing embrace of technology-driven learning and operational efficiency.
Addressing the regional contingent, Commissioner Hicken underscored the importance of collaboration among Caribbean law enforcement agencies, noting that partnerships involving accredited training programmes and instructor exchanges are essential to raising professional standards and addressing shared security challenges.
The course will be coordinated by Superintendent Dellon Fraser and Assistant Superintendent Dionne Pollard, and is designed to foster the exchange of best practices while developing participants’ leadership, supervisory and managerial capabilities.
Officials said the programme will also strengthen cooperation and networking among law enforcement agencies throughout the Caribbean, providing participants with opportunities to share experiences and build relationships that can support future regional security initiatives.
The Junior Officers’ Course forms part of the Guyana Police Force’s ongoing efforts to modernise its training framework and prepare a new generation of leaders capable of responding to the evolving demands of policing and public security in Guyana and across the wider Caribbean.