The Tribune

TWENTY police inspectors, community leaders and government officials will receive training in crime prevention strategies as part of a joint programme with police and international agencies in a move to impact at-risk communities.

The initiative, a five-day programme that begins this week, is being organised by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and the government. The PADF is a non-profit organisational affiliate of the Organisation of American States (OAS) based in Washington, DC, with offices across the Latin American and Caribbean region.

“This course will be led by three facilitators who were accredited to teach about and mentor others in the implementation of social crime prevention practices in the community. These practices seek to address the root causes of crime, whether they are social, environmental or otherwise,” a statement from the PADF said.

During the initiative, the group from several ministerial agencies will identify social ills and risk factors to develop action plans.

“The accredited facilitators will focus on the risk factors that frequently lead youth to become involved in crime and violence, as well as protective factors that can be put in place to prevent it. In addition, they will look at specific techniques meant to help participants improve their ability to work with youth, their families and the communities they live in. Emphasis will be made on improving participants’ communication and leadership skills, as well as their ability to apply specific approaches that enhance planning, information sharing and evidenced-based programming.”

“The programme will also highlight the importance of inter-agency collaboration in social crime prevention,” the statement continued.

“By working more effectively across police and other justice sector agencies, as well as in close collaboration with schools and communities, officials can more appropriately respond to and prevent crime and violence among youth.”

The course is a collaborative effort between the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), the US State Department and the PADF under the Resistance and Prevention Programme (RAPP).

RAPP aims to build mutual trust between the police, the government, and Bahamian youth, and is supported by the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).