The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) yesterday launched the COPSQUAD 2000 initiative, which will see the training of 2,000 policemen and women who will be dealing with reports of domestic violence.
The launching of the initiative was held at the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Training Centre on Camp Street, Georgetown and is part of the strengthening of the national response against all forms of violence against women and girls.
According to Human Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, the purpose of the initiative is to also hold police officers who handle domestic violence cases accountable. She said that victims will be able to identify the officer they are reporting to as they will be given a special badge after completing the training.
“When a matter is brought to a police station, it is [to be] dealt with in every possible way that emulates best international practice. We must not be happy with any level of mediocrity. We must not accept any level of going lesser than intended to do,” Persaud said.
Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie disclosed that the GPF has recorded an increase in domestic violence cases for this year. He said that a total of 896 cases were reported from January to June in 2021, while 733 were reported during the same period in 2020.
“The Force continues to urge and instill in ranks who have the ability to perform at different levels to ensure that days of allegations of police lacklustre behavioural responses to domestic violence are over,” he said as he welcomed the initiative, which he described as timely.
During his remarks, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn said when reports are made to a police station, officers must be proactive and vigilant in their approach. He noted that he is aware that officers have sometimes refused to assist victims and said a big change is necessary as a result.
“The training, expertise and knowledge which will be shared is very important and given the statistics we men have to be less threatened and challenged when a woman asserts herself. These are changes we have to make,” he said.
Noting that domestic violence remains a major issue in society, Persaud added that it is critical that partners who are involved in dealing with domestic violence cases can do their jobs to the best of their ability. Recognizing that the GPF and by extension, the MHA are critical stakeholders in dealing with reports of domestic abuse, she further said, a collaboration was initiated.
Persaud also noted that while some 2,000 officers will be trained, the ultimate aim of the project is to train the entire police force. The training for senior officers will take five days, while junior officers will receive eight days of training. At the end of the training, each participant will be required to take a quiz. The training course will involve specific aspects on interrogation, assessment of safety, counselling, response to people who visit a police station to make a complaint and how case reports should be written.
The initiative will also train officers in how to deal with the alleged perpetrators and it was noted that counselling done by the ministry has helped a number of persons who physically assaulted their partners.
Meanwhile, Persaud mentioned that since the 914 domestic violence hotline was launched, some 511 calls were made related to domestic violence and 53 of those were actual domestic violence cases while the remainder were child abuse cases. Of that number, 34 were referred to the police. There were about 1500 prank calls.
