The United States Embassy’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) section recently collaborated with High Court Judge Gillian Lucky and a team of leading attorneys and professionals to train members of the Police Service. A release from the embassy yesterday said the training was in keeping with the legacy of state prosecutor and attorney Dana Seetahal SC.
The statement said the training focused on conducting “intelligent investigations” and gathering evidence for successful prosecutions. The exercise, the release said, began with a discussion on Seetahal’s positive impact on the advancement of T&T’s criminal justice system.
The training team included director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) David West, who discussed investigative techniques for money laundering offences; Rajiv Persad, a highly-accomplished attorney and judge, who spoke on the need to reshape the landscape for successful prosecutions; and Dr Sheila Rampersad, who addressed participants on the critical role of effective communication in the work and functions of police officers.
The training took place at the Police Academy and concluded with a graduation ceremony on December 13. The courses are part of a long-term training collaboration between the US Embassy and the Government of T&T under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to strengthen this country’s capacity to investigate and successfully prosecute serious crimes.