Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 20, 2019 (SKNIS): Forty-nine officers of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) are now better equipped with the necessary skills needed to operate in the changing National Security environment.
This is as a result of six weeks of an extensive leadership, supervisory and investigative training course that took place at the Police Training School from February 04 to March 15, 2019. A closing ceremony for the combined training was held on March 19.
The first two weeks of the course focused on senior officers, the second two weeks focused primarily on interviewing skills, and the final two weeks focused on carrying out duties ethically and within the law.
Facilitator for the training course, Mervyn “Darby” Allen, said that the officers addressed in some depth the requirements of leadership in the fast moving contemporary society that exist on this island.
“A challenging and enlightening experience for those officers and myself was on the important issues of transactional and transformational leadership in line with the values and beliefs which reflect the police service and customs mission statements.
These mission statements mentioned integrity, impartiality and protecting the public that are powerful ethos which you are charged to uphold; it is your duty to uphold and to serve the public of this island,” said Mr. Allen.
He encouraged the officers to use the new skills they developed to enhance their investigative process and keep the high and professional standards that are expected from “all those charged with investigating crime.”
He added that he was pleased to have been chosen to conduct the course and hopes that the officers have developed better understanding of matters surrounding investigating, interviewing and leading.
Acting Commissioner of Police, Hilroy Brandy, said that human resource capacity building continues to be the important component in the successes of the Security Forces in St. Kitts-Nevis, adding that the officers are being prepared to meet the changing demands in crime fighting in the Federation.
“Through your training, consider now how to best use your skills learned to convert the truth, conduct solid interviews, differentiate between facts and opinions, and handle difficult and invasive witnesses, as well as gather information,” said the Acting Commissioner of Police.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Osmond Petty, said that law enforcement in the Federation is going through a period of changes that will positively affect the level of safety and security in the country.
“If you are going to be a good leader, whether you are a corporal or sergeant, you have a responsibility to assist the Police Force, Customs or whoever, in dealing with the changes that are taking place. My challenge to you this morning is to take the basics which Mr. Allen would have given you and apply it to the changing environment in which you are going to go out there and work,” Mr. Petty said.
