The United States Embassy in Georgetown, in collaboration with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and Guyana Police Force (GPF), have announced the successful accreditation of three GPF training centres, located in Suddie, Essequibo; Adventure, Berbice; and Georgetown, a release from the US Embassy stated yesterday.
The achievement of these accreditations was formally recognized yesterday in a ceremony at the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) conference, currently taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, setting a new standard for law enforcement training excellence in the Caribbean, the release added.
IADLEST is globally recognized for its commitment to enhancing law enforcement service standards through certification, setting a benchmark for training excellence.
According to the release, the accreditation is a key component of the Caribbean Police Professionalization Project which is funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and implemented by PADF since 2021.
It further noted that the project which concludes in June, has “significantly” elevated law enforcement training within the region and a pivotal element of this success was a study tour that PADF facilitated to the Idaho Police Officers Standards and Training Academy in Boise, Idaho. The academy shared best practices in international law enforcement training standards with the GPF team and directly influenced the efficient and successful accreditation process.
The accreditation process, the release explained, involved a “rigorous self-assessment, detailed online verification, and a comprehensive physical evaluation by IADLEST, ensuring compliance with the highest international standards.” The local accreditation team was led by Superintendent Nicola Kendall, with oversight from Acting Deputy Commissioner Calvin Brutus and substantial contributions from Force Training Officer and head of the training centres, Superintendent Sonia Herbert, and Assistant Superintendent Gladwin Hanover, who manages the ZARA computer centres across Guyana. All of these members of the GPF played pivotal roles in yesterday’s success with Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken commenting, “This accomplishment is a major milestone in the implementation of the GPF’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.”
The United States and PADF have assured of their continued support of development and capacity building in Caribbean policing through the Better Police Readiness in Caribbean Law Enforcement Organizations (B-PRO) project, currently being implemented in Guyana. This new initiative, also funded by INL, aims to enhance law enforcement professionalism and operational effectiveness in Guyana and across the region, the release added.
