Participants of the First Responders Training.
PRESS RELEASE - Forty-two officers from four government agencies, namely the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Customs and Excise Department, Bordelaise Correctional Facility and the Fire and Emergency Services are now equipped to perform first responder duties before the arrival of investigators to the scene of a crime.
The Regional Security System (RSS) Training Institute recently conducted a Crime Scene First Responder one-week training course at the Police Force Academy located at La Toc, Castries.
For Assistant Commissioner of Police and Director of Training with the RSS Yvonne Alexander, the achievement was pivotal to the mandate of the RSS.
Participants.
“I am extremely pleased with the help of the Government of Canada. They have been assisting us so we can meet the changing needs of the RSS. The RSS has continued to conduct a series of courses in 2014. Over 120 individuals have been trained and certified as Crime Scene First Responders, from various islands,” Alexander noted.
Commissioner of Police Vernon Francois commended the participants at the closing ceremony, noting the wisdom of the course organisers in engaging other participants to train alongside the police.
“Other agencies have a role to play and it is important to engage these other agencies. We have a number of cases which depend on physical evidence, so it is very important to undertake this particular training in this area of law enforcement.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security Agosta Degazon also commended the initiative and thanked the RSS for their continued support and stewardship within the sub–region.
The closing ceremony took place on Friday, May 23, 2014.