L-R - Sgt Sonia Boyce (Barbados), Station Sgt Cheryl Blackman (Barbados), Instructor Sgt Kim Evans (RCIPS), Sgt Karl Lovell (Barbados), PC Winston Forth (RCIPS) and Sonja Mclean (911 Operator)
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) has joined forces with the Royal Barbados Police Force to share local knowledge and skills.
Three officers from Barbados recently completed a one-week training course with the RCIPS learning how to use the crime recording system known as OTRCIS (Overseas Territories Regional Criminal Intelligence System) to its full potential.
The RCIPS has been using OTRCIS to log reported crimes, incidents and intelligence since the mid 1990s. The system aims to keep lines of communication open between different jurisdictions, providing a secure database of criminal, and suspected criminal, activities in the area.
Police in Miami, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos, Montserrat plus Trinidad and Tobago currently share information. Barbados will become the eighth member of the network.
RCIPS Crime Desk Manager, Sergeant Kim Evans led the training scheme. He said it’s important that all territories that use the system use it effectively. “This system is designed to allow us to share information with other territories which is incredibly important. Criminals often travel between islands committing offences so it’s vital that information constantly flows between us,” he explained, adding, “The Cayman Islands are very much the leader when it comes to this system and we are happy to offer our skills and support to other areas.”
Last year two RCIPS officers travelled to Trinidad and Tobago to teach officers there how to use it. The team has also been asked by the government of Belize to train their police force in the use of the software.
Anyone who has a query regarding a crime should contact the Crime Desk on 949-4222. The Crime Desk is open from 7:00 am – 11:30 pm. Anyone needing crime reports for insurance purposes should contact Suzy Smith on 244-2921.
