On Saturday morning, Jan 6, 2018 a small number of RMPS officers gathered to mark and witness the opening of Marine training workshop in preparation for the new police vessel which expected to be on island by April.
The course runs a full week with the practical continuing in Antigua the following week according to Mr. Peter Hopps, yachtsmaters, while giving brief remarks on the training.
Mr. Hopps as introduced is positioned in Antigua, but says he has been coming out to the Caribbean for the past 30 years from his home in the UK. He spends at least three months providing training.
Peter Hopps is flanked by Deputy Thompson (left) and Commissioner Foster (right)
Commissioner Steve Foster in delivering brief remarks took the opportunity to tell his participating audience, the Marine Unit will be at the fore front of efforts to fight crime and to ensure the islands security.
“You as Marine Officers will play a key role in boarder security, you will also play a key role because you will be also appointed as immigration officers,” he said.
He told the course participants, “…we expect that your training will also enhance our participation in both regional, local and international security, as we fight against crime transnational and organized crime on a whole.”
The course was conducted with 13 officers participating. They include one from the Fire & Rescue Service in the course which is required for the boat to be certified and to satisfy insurance policies, as explained Police Commissioner Steve Foster. He said the goal is to have up to 16 officers certified, as the boat needs a minimum of four officers on duty while at sea as there are restrictions on the number of hours they will be able to work in a shift. The police men and women will also be appointed as immigration officers.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police Charles Thompson joined the Commissioner as he declared the training course open, adding as he told the officers, “…the road thus far has been very long and extremely hard – see it as a golden opportunity, see yourselves as instrumental, as fitting pieces to the puzzle at the end of the day which cultivate the means to provide national security,” urging them to make the best use of the training.
The Commissioner while outlining to the officers as they began the two-week training exercise, that boarder security would be one of the main focuses of the police in 2018, announced that the RMPS would also be focusing on child safe guarding, crime fighting, traffic issues, intelligence led policing, community interaction and immigration.
