Over 100 TTPS Officers graduate from Mediation Training Programme

19 July 2019

In a move to strengthen the provision and quality of policing in communities, the Community Mediation Services Division of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, conducted a six-month Professional Development Programme with members of the Community Policing arm of the Police Service. Today, July 19, 2019, over 100 officers graduated from this Programme at the Community Police Secretariat located at Riverside Plaza, Port of Spain.

The Programme focused on providing officers with the tools needed to interact with members of varied communities. They were trained in Effective Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Anger Management, Stress Management, the importance of Confidentiality and Conflict De-escalation. 

Dubbed ‘Professional Development Training’, the initiative provided a unique opportunity for officers to apply communication, human relations, and problem-solving skills to real-life scenarios.  Mrs. Beverly Harry-Emmanuel, Executive Director Mediation Unit summed up the Programme as “one that provides competencies to manage conflict in everyday life”.  She further added that “such training can be seen as a roadmap in navigating the mediation process, with citizens in mind”.  

A strong advocate for learning, Head of Community Relations, ACP Patsy Joseph believes that this Programme better equips officers to achieve overall objectives while conducting their daily duties.

This initiative seeks to present mediation as the first step in dealing with conflicts.  Officers were awarded a certificate of participation, and encouraged to incorporate their newfound knowledge with existing regulations to ensure professionalism is achieved.