Regional academy required for high level officers

There may be need for the establishment of a regional training academy, specifically catering to leadership and management training for police officers.

Major (Retired) Horace Kirton, Deputy Executive Director of the Regional Security System (RSS), made the observation recently, as he delivered the feature address at the closing ceremony for the RSS Training Institute’s Executive Development Seminar at the Paragon base in Barbados. Fifteen participants from across the region, inclusive of four from Barbados, successfully undertook the seminar targeted at senior police officers.

Front Row: Acting Commissioner of Police, Tyrone Griffith;
Major (Retired) Horace Kirton, Deputy Executive Director of
the Regional Security System (RSS); and Assistant Commissioner,
Yvonne Alexander, Director of Training at the RSS, pose
with successful participants of the RSS Training
Institute’s Executive Development Seminar. 

While delivering his address, Major Kirton pointed out that as the RSS Training Institute reviewed its training strategy within the context of the working environment and culture of Member States’ Police Forces, officials there recognised a flaw that may undermine the goal of effective human resource development strategies in Member States’ Police Forces.

“Our strategic review indicated that a more holistic outlook on the structure of capacity-building in leadership and management among our law enforcement personnel, may warrant the establishment of a regional training academy catered to leadership and management training for police officers, similar to that which is provided for our colleagues in military organisations,” Kirton stated.

“Perhaps, as we continue to adopt and implement ex-ante control policy to our strategic plans, we may yet see the RSS Training Institute burgeon into a regional training academy for police officers,” he then announced.

Turning his attention to the RSS Training Institute’s Executive Development Seminar, Major Kirton noted that the seminar is but a part of a larger strategic training plan, aimed at building leadership capacity throughout the RSS Member Forces.

“This strategic plan targets three organisational levels within the Member Forces, that is, supervisory, middle management and the executive. This helps to ensure that the training offered for Corporals, Sergeants and Station Sergeants will not only help to prepare them to function at the supervisory level, but also serve as a building block for middle management leadership training,” he revealed.

Training for personnel at the senior and supervisory level, he maintained, ensures that cohorts remain up to date with organisational leadership and management practices and continue to utilise relevant tools to shape and continuously develop the organisation, given the dynamic nature of the security environment.

Over the four days, officers were exposed to concepts such as emotional intelligence, change and performance management, as well as strategic planning and management, and Major Kirton expressed his sincere thanks to the government of Canada, through its High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, for making possible the seminar, which came at a cost of US$21 000.