Ramnarine urges integrity building at opening of training courses for cops

Acting Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine yesterday urged the almost 200 officers set to participate in five training sessions to improve on their education and work towards restoring the integrity of the force.

The courses: Station Management 1/2017, Train-the-Trainers 3/2017, Criminal Investigation Department Induction 1/2017, Conversion 1/2017 and Newly Promoted Subordinate Officers 1/2017 are being held under the theme ‘Forging Ahead with Profes-sionalism and Intelligence-led Policing in Collaboration with Stakeholders’.

The objectives are to build the competencies and increase the capacity of ranks to perform efficiently and effectively, develop ranks to provide a high level of service and make appropriate decisions and to sustain coordination and team building at all levels.

The participants of the various training courses shortly after the opening ceremony yesterday morning. Seated in front from left are Assistant Commissioner of Police and Force Finance Officer Nigel Hoppie, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations) Christopher Griffith, Acting Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine, Force Training Officer and Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Williams and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum.

Ramnarine, during his feature address, told the police officers that education was needed for the development of skills in the force.

He stressed that more emphasis should be placed on restoring the integrity of the force while noting “if you can be trusted and relied on by the public and colleagues then the organisation and our country at large will be better off.”

The training courses, he said, will serve to instill interpersonal skills.

“I have absolutely no doubt that these training courses are geared to inculcate in you many skills including much needed people skills,” he said.

Ramnarine noted that integrity will play a key role in the promotion of ranks within the force. “…It’s good to be ambitious, good to look for promotion, expect to be promoted but the behaviour and attitude got to change,” Ramnarine said.

The training sessions which will serve to provide capacity building and aid in decision making among members of the Guyana Police Force are expected to run for durations of six to eight weeks.