Caribbean Times 6th Issue - Monday 27th February 2017

4 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Monday 27th February 2017
Police to deploy canine unit
By Everton Barnes
Some seventeen police
and customs officers have
just completed an eight-week
course in canine (dog) handling
techniques in preparation
for being deployed at the
country’s main port of entry,
the V.C. Bird International
Airport.
The course concluded on
Friday with an awards ceremony
where Cons. Bradley
Titre received the award for
the most understanding student.
Commissioner Wendel
Robinson congratulated the
government for investing half
a million dollars into the creation
of this unit. Nine dogs
were part of the training with
The manager of the Counter Narcotics
Operational Team in the Office
of National Drug and Money Laundering
Control Policy (ONDCP) in Antigua
and Barbuda, Marcia Edwards,
is traveling to the United States to
participate in the U.S. Department of
State’s International Visitor Leadership
Program (IVLP). She will take part in
a three-week project on “Community
Responsiveness — Leadership in Law
Enforcement” from February 27 until
March 17.
During the program, participants
will meet police administrators and
trainers, civil rights and community
activists, victim advocacy groups, and
police union representatives to explore
issues affecting community and police
relations. They will examine U.S. local,
state, and federal efforts to foster
two officers working with one
dog. The training was conducted
by a team of British
experts in dog handling surveillance
and patrol.
The commissioner cautioned
the officers that one
of the requirements of being
part of the unit is that they
must subject themselves to a
polygraph test, which he said
would be performed in due
course.
Comptroller of Customs,
Raju Boddu, expressed appreciation
to the commissioner
for inviting his department to
be a part of this joint venture
and implement community policing in
police departments; explore best practices
in building trust and transparency
between communities and police departments;
demonstrate the variety of
current training and the organizational
structures of local police departments;
and demonstrate how community input
has made an impact.
The program begins on February
27 in Washington, D.C., and includes
travel to at least four cities across the
United States, including Baltimore,
Maryland; Seattle, Washington, Orlando,
Florida; and Reno, Nevada. It ends
in New York City, New York.
The IVLP is the Department of
State’s premier, professional exchange
program. The program brings together
emerging leaders in their respective
professions to learn how U.S. experts
in crime solving and law enforcement.
Permanent Secretary in
the Ministry of Legal Affairs,
Worthene George expressed
best wishes to the officers
asking that the take to heart
all that was imparted as part
of the training and to do their
jobs diligently and professionally.
Of the nine dogs that
have been trained, two will be
allocated to help deal with potential
bomb threats by sniffing
out explosives.
The new canine unit is expected
to be deployed at the
airport this week. It will monitor
arriving and departing
passengers and bags entering
the airport terminal.
Antiguan law enforcement manager to participate
in US government-sponsored leadership program
Marcia Edwards (left), poses with U.S.
Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean,
and the OECS Linda Taglialatela
before departing on the U.S. Department
of State’s International Visitor Leadership
Program.
in that profession operate and to share
best practices with the other program
candidates who hail from the same region
and across the globe.