Beware of corruption and corrupt elements, in addition to the criminal elements and stand up against it, as it will keep your integrity intact as police officers.
This was the advice given to the new batch of police officers, 100 of them, who graduated from the Police Training Academy on Wednesday by Minister of National Security Stuart Young.
The passing out parade was held on the academy’s grounds at St James.
Delivering a brief speech, Young urged the new officers to fearlessly attack the heart of criminality and corruption.
He said, “I also want to caution you…when you take on status quo and you challenge status quo and more importantly you attack fearlessly the heart of criminality and corruption in a society there are consequences, there are personal consequences, but do so fearlessly.”
He added: “When you take on criminality and you take on the status quo of corruption people will attack you, people will try to undermine you, but remember these words, as you go about your duties, as you go about your investigative duties as you call upon to protect and serve T&T always take note of the people that make the most noise,” he added.
Young told the officers that when they take on corruption and criminality they will draw attention and attacks to themselves, however, he urged them to carry out their duties fearlessly.
“Always, as you go out there, stand up against corruption which will come. There are the criminal elements and the corrupt elements in our society who will try to engage you as police officers throughout your career, never, ever, take that decision or that option to go down that slippery slope because once you do yourself that injustice and you compromise yourself there isn’t never any coming back,” Young said.
Also addressing the batch of officers was Police Commissioner Gary Griffith who commended them for a job well done.
Griffith tod the recruits he wanted them to “live for their country and not die for their country.”
He said, “Your training is critical to keep you safe and you must continue being trained as you go about your career.”
He added: “We are pushing training heavily for officers as you are expected to police a war zone. You will be faced with many scenarios outside as officers and you need to know how to use your power responsibly.”
He also told them that people are now starting to believe in the TTPS and they needed to work with them hand-in-hand to ensure that there is a continuous partnership in the fight against crime.
Also addressing the recruits was Provost of the Police Academy Dr.Simon Alexis who told them there needs to be a whole nation approach when dealing with crime.
Alexis said the Police Academy is the only accredited institution in the Caribbean and is the only registered police academy in the 28 Caribbean states.
Alexis said, “We are on par with other first world countries with regards to the training content we offer”.
The recruits were trained in several areas including; criminal law, laws of evidence, police procedures, traffic laws, firearms training and behavioural science.
Valedictorian, WPC Ornella Pierre reminded her colleagues that they entered an organisation with rules and regulations and
thanked staff and faculty members at the academy.
She also reminisced on the tough days of training saying that even though the beginning was hard to adapt to, they soon got accustomed, giving credit to the comradery and teamwork which helped them all get through the courses and long days and nights of training.— With reporting by Rhondor Dowlat-Rostant