CID officers graduate from Canada-based JES training programme

Jun 07, 2018 News

Pic saved as Graduates in Friday
Caption: Seated at front row from Left: JES project Manager Evelyn Neaman; US Embassy Political and Economic Chief Alexandra King; Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan; and Police Commissioner, David Ramnarine, flanked by the Police officers who successfully completed training offered by the Canada-based JES project.

Twenty-one officers from the Guyana Police Force, (GPF) have successfully completed the Key Opinion Leaders programme which is organized by the Canada- based, Justice Education Society, (JES) project.
As part of their training, the officers were exposed to information and best practices as it relates to efficient case management, forensic video evidence analysis crime scene management notes taking, and police prosecution.
The officers were presented with certificates during the closing ceremony at the Guyana Police Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Road and Young Street, Eve Leary, yesterday.
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, Political and Economic Counsellor attached to the United States Embassy, Alexandra King; JES Project Manager Evelyn Neaman and Acting Police Commissioner, David Ramnarine were the main players at the closing ceremony.
Commissioner Ramnarine challenged the graduates to do their best, to continue to use and share the knowledge, which they acquired during their training.
The acting Top Cop urged the officers to put what they were taught to good use.
“Use your knowledge and skills to improve your level of professionalism because these days, the Guyana Police Force, (GPF) is increasingly under the microscope.”
“As the saying goes, if you give a man a fish all the time, you’re not helping him but if you teach him to fish and then you equip him with whatever he needs to catch the fish, you’re not only helping him and his family, you will probably help a community and a nation by extension,” he added.
Ramnarine noted that it is absolutely necessary for the intellectual capacity of the GPF to improve continuously.

He said too the JES and US Government must be lauded for their support in this regard.
“The exposure to best practices helps to develop a more positive role as the Force seeks to enhance the service provided to the citizenry.
“Training must be remedial; it must be relevant and geared to prepare human (resources). It must be geared for a qualitative response. We all know that change is the only constant and this training programme over the past three months is part of that change,” Ramnarine said.
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan noted the Government of Guyana and by extension, the Guyana Police Force is grateful for the continued support and cooperation of their overseas stakeholders.
“We must interrelate and cooperate to learn more from those that have the knowledge. It is in that context I want you to see yourselves as lamps that have been lit that will go out there and light other lamps.”
The Public Security Minister said too that the sustainability of the project is important to ensure that there are more Key Opinion Leaders in Guyana Police Force.
“We should look to ensure the sustainably of these programmes even after the key players leave these shores. We must prepare the ground and ensure it is always ready for continuous harvest. We must have a set of personnel like you who will ensure that it flows from here.”
While congratulating the participants of the training programme, JES project Manager Evelyn Neaman noted the venture forms a key part of the objective of the Canada –based Justice Education Society.
The Government of Canada, through its Anti-Crime Capacity Building Programme (ACCBP), has been providing funds to Canadian NGO, the Justice Education Society (JES), to implement these projects in Guyana and other parts of the Region.
The goal of the JES project is to develop the technical capacity of the police, police prosecutors, state prosecutors and magistrates to collect, and analyse and present forensic evidence as a means of decreasing impunity rates.
The JES team has been visiting Guyana since September 2015 and has conducting training activities with the Guyana Police Force on Major Case Management, Forensic Video Analysis and Crime Scene Management.
The JES programme in Central America has resulted in increased efficiency of criminal investigations, greater collaboration between institutions and reduced impunity rates.
For example, in Guatemala, between 2009 and 2013, the conviction rate for violent crimes increased from five to 29 per cent. The project is being implemented here in collaboration with the Ministries of Public Security and Legal Affairs.
Over the years, the GPF has been the beneficiary of a number of training programmes. The JES is a non-profit organization with a 25-year history of working to strengthen justice systems in Canada and abroad.