GPF increasing in -house training for officers

GINA, GUYANA, Monday, March 6, 2017

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been increasing training of its ranks to perform efficiently and effectively towards providing a higher level of service.

Today, at the launch of five in-house training courses, it was revealed that 1,121 ranks have been exposed to training in 2016, a significant increase when compared to 2015, Force Training Officer, Assistant Commissioner Paul Williams pointed out.

Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine noted that efforts to push training are important elements of the Force’s existence. “Training is certainly the catalyst for change,” the Acting Commissioner noted.

Commissioner Ramnarine noted that these training courses are key for improved professionalism in the Force. Continuous training and retaining of ranks in key departments and the general membership of the force are all part of the process of improving the Force’s professional image.

“These training exposures are not only intended to facilitate improved knowledge, awareness of SOPs (Standing operating Procedures) and being somewhat remedial in nature, but significantly they are intended to imbue in you a greater cognisance of the requirement to develop trust, transparency and accountability as law enforcement officials,” Acting Commissioner Ramnarine told the  ranks.

In particular, the GPF has been increasing in-house training for officers. Below is a comparative breakdown of the number of training offered to ranks:

Training Course                           2015                          2016 (ranks trained)

Recruit training                               420                             840

In service training                           2,454                          3,153

Local training by foreigners           355                              479

Overseas training                            31                                189

Ranks benefited from overseas training in countries such as Japan, USA, China, Spain, Canada, India, San Salvador and Jamaica. Local training by overseas trainers was mostly facilitated by the Canadian Justice Society, however the GPF did benefit from trainers from the Jamaican Justice Society, USA’s CBSI (Caribbean Basin Security Initiative) virtual learning space and Cave Hill School of Business.

The launch of today’s in-house courses will see a total of 190 ranks being trained in: CID Induction, Station Management, Newly Promoted Subordinate Officers, Training of Trainers and Conversion Courses.

Force Training Officer, Williams, noted that the five new in-house courses seek to build and increase the competencies and capacities of ranks, to improve and sustain coordination and team building at all levels.

“At the end of this programme, we expect that the participants who would have benefitted go back out there and perform to a high level,” the Training Officer explained.

Meanwhile, the GPF’s 2017 training schedule includes improving ranks’ capacity in training subordinate officers and inspectors with facilitation skills to increase standardisation across the Force. This caters for delivery on methodology of training and to ensure that an accurate database for trainers within the GPF is developed.

Assistant Commissioner Williams explained that the GPF will also introduce probationer’s quarterly report. This report will evaluate officers’ compliance to police SOPs and standing orders, and other resolute or important instruction.

“Probationers will also be evaluated on how they apply initiatives and communication skills in compliance with training,” Assistant Commissioner Williams explained.

In the coming months the GPF will also introduce mentorship training and conflict mediation resolution process training from the recruit level to the  middle management level.

By: Tiffny Rhodius