Police officers complete training in interview techniques

Some of the police officers and instructors

24 officers of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) are now better equipped to investigate crime after they completed a two-week course in “Peace Suspect Interview Training.”

They received their certification at a ceremony held at police headquarters in Roseau on Friday morning.

Deputy Chief of Police said the course was intended to reduce the limitations of the police force, provide officers with the tools and confidence to execute their functions and raise the bar of investigations.

“This program is intended to be the department’s response to the current and projected crime situation in Dominica, regionally, and elsewhere,” Jno Baptiste noted.

He urged the officers to use the knowledge they acquired and avoid using “shortcuts” to do their jobs. “Be beacons of the projection of increased confidence in the police,” he noted.

Criminal Justice Advisor to the Eastern Caribbean Dan Suter also told the newly trained police to put the knowledge acquired to good use. “When legislation is passed, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative commits to providing equipment so you, those officers who have been trained can put all your best practices to use,” he said.

He told the officers that it is fundamental that they use their training to protect human rights.

“For too long those who have been suspects have been able to get away with quite a lot at the police station, they have been able to attack your integrity. Now with the legislation that is planned, human rights will be protected but equally in terms of advancing to justice and surely that has to be right,” he added.

Meanwhile state attorney Clement Joseph pointed out that the course will be beneficial to those who serve as jurors.

“It represents a paradigm shift in the way investigations are done here in Dominica. Too often we’ve had feedback from juries where they cast doubt on the testimony that reveals utterings of accused persons…. now they will see it in living color. They will have that opportunity to evaluate accused persons while they are being interviewed and to better come to a conclusion as to the credibility of what they have to say,” he said.

The training exposed the participants to various interview techniques such as the use of electronic equipment while investigating serious crime and was funded by the US Government and the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.

The course was facilitated by British nationals John Bailey and Alan Farmer.

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20 Comments

  1. say sarr
    December 24, 2012

    you got the State Attorney C. Joseph working on a matter with Norde on the other side and letting Norde get away because both of them Sc ******* the same set of ***** rattttt……………… The ride hmmmmmm

  2. Is the same thing
    December 24, 2012

    Same set of officers getting the training. Those in out stations don’t get opportunities like that, but once is to drill all of a sudden they are remembered. I wonder who needs it more?

  3. Anonymous
    December 23, 2012

    Reading this article is seriously painful! I am Dominican born and police officer in the UK. The PEACE (Preparation/Planning,Engage/Explain, Account, Closure, Evaluate) model is great however it takes more than two weeks to implement this method of questioning! I hope one day that I will be allowed back to teach, train and educate may country men/women! I believe you need to be able to understand the culture before you can implement such tactics. Father give me the strength I need to succeed and the opportunity to make a difference to the people and island I love so much, Amen!!

  4. Howard from Bense
    December 23, 2012

    truth go and learn to spell fool

  5. December 22, 2012

    Hi, I would like to congratulate the twenty four Officers who attended this Interview & Interrogation course. I hope they acquire some new skills that will help them to conduct better interviews of complainants and Interrogation of perpetrators. Now I have to take exception to what Mr Baptiste said in paragraph four. In that ” This is the Department response to the current and projected crime situation in Dominica. Well Mr Baptiste this is not a crime reduction plan and you should know better because you are a Deputy Chief within the Department. Further Mr Suter spoke about legislation to pass. Does that mean they are going to allow tape interrogation into court as evidence. If so does that mean surveillance tapes will be admitted as evidence into court. I also assume that is what State Attorney Mr Joseph is saying.

  6. lee
    December 22, 2012

    I hope this training will help them to do a better job. Good luck to the DPD

  7. Sam
    December 22, 2012

    Well with your increase expertise them maybe Mr. GON Emanuel’s case will come to the surface and no one will get away Mr.Police.

  8. Jahyout
    December 22, 2012

    Thats very good for the DPO i hope its put into use ASAP.

  9. daru
    December 22, 2012

    Excellent. More power to our officers to the service of the Dominican people.

  10. fathead
    December 21, 2012

    IS ABOUT TIME D/A STEP UP

  11. Reflection
    December 21, 2012

    Hopefully, this will further the cause of justice in Dominica.

  12. Cool Bear
    December 21, 2012

    Interview techniques. wa happen? That is a job agency nuh. Just tell people that they went to learn the latest INTERROGATION techniques. How to get information out of detainees without leaving any marks, such as the inhumane “water boarding” procedures made notorious at the Guantanamo detention center (for what the ‘free world’ calls “enemy combatants”)

  13. new york
    December 21, 2012

    hmmmm what these fool learn they’ll always remain fools

  14. %
    December 21, 2012

    Do we have a police force in Dominica or a political force?Wonder how many of the twentyfour were recruited by Parl reps…Many of them also drink,curse,behave badly in public……A mess!
    To those who work hard to uphold the integrity of the force. CONGRATS.

  15. December 21, 2012

    Hahahaha!! And what?

  16. Too Sot
    December 21, 2012

    Maybe we should send some of these newly trained police to Barbados to interview the gunman they captured on His way to Dominica.

    You think ??

    • Brathwait
      December 23, 2012

      I do think

  17. Truth
    December 21, 2012

    :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: :?: Although i’m glad that foreigners especially the British had to come to Dominica to train the police as they never seems to get most things done right,i still hope that they’re not gonna use it against the innocent citizens.In my opinion,it’s time that they stop training police in Morne Bruce,but rather have go to some country like England to receive proper policing shooling and training. :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: :?:

    • December 22, 2012

      I’m with you training of the Police is very serious and it seems they are too political they are not protecting the whole people and that’s why Dominica is in the state it’s in we need Policemen who are serious and remember they are part of the justice system they have to protect the nationals at all cost.
      CONGRATULATION to the men and women now let’s keep us safe.

    • commentator
      December 23, 2012

      I agree. Always beneficial to have external training in latest techniques. By the way ADMIN, I think you may have meant PACE training, Police and Criminal evidence act. What about the lawyers? do they also have to be trained in human rights etc?

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