Almost one year after it was launched, 1600 members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have been trained under the COPSQUAD initiative on how to deal with reports of gender-based violence.
“One of the biggest bugbears in fighting and tackling domestic violence and child abuse and elder abuse has always been the police and how they deal with people,” Minister of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS), Dr Vindhya Persaud said during a guest appearance on the weekly webinar “Guyana Dialogue” on Thursday night.
In August last year, the MHSSS in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs launched the COPSQUAD initiative which is aimed at training 2000 police officers.
To date, Persaud said a total of 1600 police officers were trained. “We have completed training 1600 of those (police officers)…To deal in a more professional way, those who make reports…To write good case reports…To have insight and knowledge of the legislation…To be able wherever they are to exercise best practice when dealing with any case of domestic violence,” she explained.
Domestic violence continues to be an issue here.
During last year, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had reported that it received a total of 1692 domestic violence reports.
Out of the reports, 814 cases were made and 814 persons were charged.
The COPSQUAD initiative training course include 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.
Ranks are also being trained on 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.
Upon the successful completion of the training, ranks are outfitted with a badge which will help victims to easily identity the ranks they are reporting to.
