The Caricom Standing Committee of Commissioners of Police (CoPs) and Chiefs of Defence Staff met recently to facilitate technical and administrative discussions and proposals towards the execution of policy decisions as regard regional crime and security, a press release said.

According to the press release, the seventh meeting, hosted in Barbados on December 3, was jointly chaired by Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) CoP Police Trevor Paul, and Chief of Defence, Brigadier Edmund Dillon. Barbados Chief of Defence Staff, Colonel Alvin Quintyne, in his opening address, urged commissioners of police and chiefs of defence staff to focus on ensuring that security remains the “bedrock” of national and regional development despite the challenges faced by local law enforcement and military bodies. The meeting considered a crime and security assessment presented for its information, along with a number of initiatives related to the ongoing coordination and sharing of human and physical resources.

Discussions also focused on the rationalisation of resources related to human resource development, a regional anti-cyber crime strategy, proposals for a comprehensive regional military training strategy, regional procurement of security inventory and regional investigative systems. The meeting was also briefed on the current study being undertaken by the Caribbean Community to assess the effect of criminal deportation on current levels of crime and violence in member states, the release said.

The release said police commissioners and chiefs of defence staff from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, T&T and two Caricom associate member states: Anguilla and Bermuda also attended the meeting. Other delegates included directors and senior officers of the Caricom Secretariat, the Caricom Implementation Agency for Crime and Security, the Joint Regional Communications Centre and the Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre.

It also said delegates extended condolences to the Jamaica government and Royal Jamaica constabulary Force on the recent death of Assistant CoP Gilbert Kameka and other law enforcement officers.