NASSAU, Bahamas – The Bahamian government is committed to providing Royal Bahamas Police officers opportunities for skills training and enhancement and to ensuring the Force is equipped with the requisite technology and trained manpower, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham said.
Mr. Ingraham’s remarks came during a courtesy call paid Friday, January 11 by Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade, who is preparing to depart The Bahamas for a 12 month tour of duty in Ottawa, Canada.
He will be joined by Assistant Commissioner of Police Marvin Dames. Both senior officers will take part in the tour of duty with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
In the government’s Manifesto, it pledged to provide upgraded training, locally and internationally, for junior and senior officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF).
Prime Minister Ingraham affirmed that The Bahamas is willing spend the money required to fully equip the force, adding that the over $100,000 the government of The Bahamas will spend per officer and his family during the tour of duty will be money well spent.
“We aim to cause people like yourselves and others to be able to go as high as your ability and leadership and aptitude will take you,” Mr. Ingraham noted. “We wish to cause the Police Force in The Bahamas to have all the technological capabilities that are available for police forces and to have all the trained manpower that it needs.
“We have men and women with the ability and the State of The Bahamas is willing to expend the required sums to cause that to happen.”
Expressing gratitude to the government for the opportunity for hands on learning in Canada, Mr. Greenslade said he plans to visit all of Canada’s provinces during the 12 month period and will meet with both the senior command of the RCMP and officers of the Toronto Police Service.
“We will be able to look at all aspects of policing,” he pointed out. “What is impressive is that the RCMP is now focusing on the issue of corporate governance and cultural change. It will be a wonderful opportunity to have a closer look at those areas.”
According to Acting Commissioner of Police Reginald Ferguson, the opportunity for international training bodes well for the future of the RBPF.
“This is in keeping with the philosophy of the Royal Bahamas Police Force of training and retraining, only this time it is at a higher level,” Mr. Ferguson affirmed. “I am certain that when they would have completed they certainly will bring added expertise to the Force and I believe that will augur well in the way forward.
Assimilation during the tour of duty will be made easier, he added, through the longstanding tradition and working relationship the RBPF has with international agencies, particularly the RCMP.
National Security and Immigration Minister the Hon. Tommy Turnquest, who also took part in the courtesy call at the Office of the Prime Minister, expressed pleasure that officers Greenslade and Dames are about to take part in the international opportunity for training and commended Mr. Greenslade for his progress on the Force to-date.
“We feel that this opportunity you (Mr. Ingraham) have been afforded the Royal Bahamas Police Force will go a long way in the future leadership of the Force,” he said.
