Ninety Police officers will undergo specialized training on effective screening for human trafficking. The aim is to improve the current tier two watch list ranking on the 2021 trafficking in person report.
The Programmed was launched today at the Police Administration building and is an initiative of the Counter-Trafficking Unit of the Ministry of National Security in partnership with the TTPS and the International Organization for Migration.
The following is a press release from the TTPS:
Ninety officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) will receive specialized training on effective screening for human trafficking.
The training is an initiative of the Counter Trafficking Unit of the Ministry of National Security in partnership with the TTPS and the International Organization for Migration. The first of four training sessions was launched today at the TTPS Police Administration Building.
The initiative is aimed at improving Trinidad and Tobago’s current Tier Two Watch List ranking on the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report. Director of the Counter Trafficking Unit Mrs. Alana Wheeler brought remarks on behalf of The Honourable Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, stating his commitment not just in his role as head of the Ministry of National Security but also as Chair of the National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons.
She further stated that the training is part of a multiagency/multi-dimensional approach that the Ministry sees as a necessary part of the national response toward this heinous crime. She thanked the officers of the Counter Trafficking Unit and the Special Investigations Unit for their dedication, sacrifice, and tireless efforts in getting justice for the victims of human trafficking.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob stressed that the training is an important first step to getting a positive outcome. It will further develop the ability of the investigating officers as they gather information for trafficking cases. This will go toward increasing current anti-trafficking efforts with the hope that the country meets more than just the minimum standards in eliminating human trafficking as cited in the report. The trained officers will join over 1500 law enforcement officers who have already been trained through the Ministry to more effectively deal with report of human trafficking.