BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, January 18, 2019 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — The Government has addressed a situation where a number of police officers would have been in uniform without formal training. It has ensured that they have received some form of training, while 98 police recruits have graduated from three training courses since 2015.
“We had inherited a situation in 2015 where a large number of Police Officers were in uniform but had not yet been exposed to formal training,” said Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr the Hon Timothy Harris on Wednesday January 16 at his monthly press conference, the first for the year, at Parliament Lounge. “We are correcting this unfortunate situation and thereby consecrating the future.”
According to the Honourable Prime Minister, in 2018 alone apart from the police recruits, a total of 155 police officers already in the establishment received training. 43 of them went overseas to attend courses in a range of disciplines, while 112 officers received training here in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The three recruitment training courses held since Team Unity Administration came into office are courses #40, #41, and #42 from which 98 police recruits graduated. Another batch of police officers will be put into training soon, thereby strengthening the country’s own domestic capacity to respond to and pre-empt the occurrence of criminal activities in the country.
“We expect to start training additional recruits early in 2019,” advised Prime Minister Harris. “This will be course #43 and 36 police recruits are expected to be adequately prepared to serve as Police Officers. With the completion of this upcoming course, literally all police officers would have been exposed to formal training as recruits and graduated from their course.”
Saying that citizens, residents and visitors are deeply appreciative of the work of the country’s law enforcement officers, the Minister of National Security encouraged the country’s security officers to exhibit utmost professionalism when serving and protecting the people.
“I wish to place on record my appreciation and gratitude to the Members States of the RSS for their contribution to the enhanced peace and security which we have experienced since October 2018,” said Dr Harris. “I commend the Acting Commissioner of Police Mr Hilroy Brandy, and the High Command, and all others, on a job well done so far.”