BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THIRTY junior ranks from the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda as well as the Dominica Police Forces graduated Friday (Jan. 24) after successfully completing a one-week Crime Scene First Respondents Course at the Police Training School in Basseterre.
The course, which is aimed at providing junior ranks with the required techniques when being the first to arrive at a crime scene, was conducted by members of the Regional Security System (RSS) and funded by the Canadian Government.
Speaking at the graduation exercise, Ambassador Her Excellence Astona Browne congratulated the participants and commended them for their exceptional work done during the week-long training programme.
She implored them to not just let it be a theoretical exercise but let what was taught be put into practice, while challenging them to do proper preservation and management of crime scenes that they may be investigating.
“I gather from Inspector Walcott that your performance was exemplary…and I would want to encourage you to use this opportunity as a moment of decision-making in your profession as police officers. You would be anxious to return to your respective units to implement the rudiments and procedures of crime scene processing, preservation and management that you would have acquired over the past few days, and I’m certain that you would have heard from the two speakers before me that the policing in your department would not be the same after you would have undergone this important training,” she told the participants.
Ambassador Browne thanked the RSS for its support in the staging of the programme while explaining that such a training programme had filled a deficiency in crime scene investigations, especially in the way first respondents handle crime scenes before the investigators would have arrived.
“It’s no doubt that the RSS has made its mark in various areas over the years and has given its consistent commitment to continue to build the capacity in the region’s forces. This course, however, is reflective of a clear understanding of the needs of the agencies and a willingness which show that they are equipped with the knowledge to address these deficiencies. Crime scene protection and management will impact the outcome of the investigation and prosecution of the offence,” she added.
Also addressing the gathering was Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn, who said that the training programme is just one of a number of others the force has undertaken over the past few years.
He stressed that “one thing that is very important is the continued safety and security of this Federation”, while noting that “this batch of graduates is the litmus test for what training is about”.
The RSCNPF will be undertaking a similar course this week.
