Fight against piracy-Regional police forces share latest knowledge and skills |08 November 2011
Some 30 representatives from Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius and the Maldives followed a week-long training at the Seychelles Police Academy (SPA) and identified common areas of exchange.
The training was organised by the Nairobi-based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and led by one of its police advisors Kirk Burger, who said he wanted the police officers to be more creative in their law enforcement duties.
The training has also allowed those who took part to exchange contact details and so increase their bank of contacts in the region for further information exchange or follow-up programmes in the future.
The training’s closing ceremony was held recently at the SPA, where all who took part received certificates.
Addressing those present, Seychelles police director of operations, Godfra Hermitte, said the workshop could not have taken place at a most opportune time.
“This is a time when the United Nations security council is urging all its member states to speed up on passing legislation and laws to prosecute not only the act of piracy but also hostage taking,” he said.
“As far as prosecution of pirates is concerned, on behalf of the government, I stand proud to say that Seychelles has delivered so far. New laws put in place early last year have allowed the Seychelles government to successfully prosecute, so far, eight groups of pirates. To date, we have one last group still awaiting their fate.”
He added that the training had been a key to further empowering the officers in intelligence gathering through specific communication systems, searching and forensic evidence collecting, and how to tighten up their cases for better prosecution.
“The sharing of experience, exchange of ideas and know-how are very important elements in achieving great feats. So my advice to you all is to build on the network established and be wise enough to impart the knowledge acquired to your fellow colleagues,” he said.