On Friday, 500 joint service officers who had undergone training as part of the COPSQUAD2000 initiative were awarded certificates and badges at a ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre. The initiative is a collaborative effort among the Human Services and Social Security and Home Affairs Ministries, the Guyana Police Force, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The primary objective of the initiative is to equip officers with the necessary knowledge and training to effectively respond to cases of gender-based violence and safeguard victims. The training covered a broad range of topics, including interrogation techniques, safety assessments, how to advise and deal with complainants, and creating case reports.
During the graduation ceremony, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud, emphasized the significance of the training, stating that it would help officers to handle gender-based violence matters in a professional manner and be agents of peace within their communities. Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, also recognized the importance of the initiative and stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to mitigating gender-based violence against women and girls.
Police Commissioner (ag), Clifton Hicken, noted that the initiative aimed to ensure that officers were multi-skilled and competent to provide the necessary services to the public. Meanwhile, Ambassador of the European Union, Evelina Melbarzde, expressed her gratitude to the partners involved in the initiative and emphasized the responsibility of all individuals to raise awareness about gender-based violence and help others.
The initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to combat domestic violence against women and girls and strengthen responses against various forms of violence. The training will enable officers stationed at every outpost within the regions to provide better services to the public. (Modified from the Department of Public Information)
