Customs Officers Pledge to Apply Training to Boost Border Security

Senior Enforcement Officers with the Jamaica Customs Agency’s (JCA) Contraband Enforcement Team, are pledging to apply their newly acquired skills in weapons handling to strengthen their work in protecting the country’s borders.

Ten members of the JCA benefited from a specialised weapons and ammunition management training course, carried out by the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), which covered the safe handling, storage and management of firearms and ammunition.

Speaking to JIS News at the recent graduation ceremony held at the JCA’s Training Branch in Kingston, Senior Enforcement Officer, Heidi Craig, said that the training provided practical knowledge and exposure to new areas, while reinforcing the importance of strict adherence to the protocols for the handling of firearms and ammunition.

She said it was an opportunity to deepen her understanding of the critical role border-security personnel play in protecting Jamaica.

“For this course, I really learned a lot, and I learned about traceability, transportation of arms and ammunition and accountability,” Ms. Craig told JIS News.

“There’s so much to this course that I didn’t know that I would have learned, and I did and I’m really grateful for it and appreciative of it,” she added.

For Ms. Craig, the training reinforced the importance of applying international best practices to daily operations within Customs, particularly as officers continue to confront increasingly complex issues surrounding the movement and management of firearms and ammunition at the nation’s borders.

The Senior Customs Enforcement Officer reaffirmed her commitment to protecting Jamaica’s borders and ensuring that the knowledge gained throughout the programme is effectively implemented in her daily responsibilities.

“I will ensure that in my daily work schedule that I will carry out all the tasks that I’ve learned…to ensure that the borders are protected,” she emphasised.

Miss Craig’s colleague, Andrew Cammock, described the training as an “eye-opening experience” that broadened his understanding of international standards relating to firearms and ammunition management.

He said it also highlighted the evolving global practices associated with the transfer, transportation and destruction of weapons and ammunition.

Mr. Cammock told JIS News that he was exposed to international best practices in armour management, disposal of arms and ammunition and “how it will affect the Jamaica Customs Agency as we move forward in border protection.”

He noted that the course also strengthened knowledge he previously gained in the field and enhanced his confidence in carrying out his role within the Contraband Enforcement Team.

“Well, I learned a lot from this course. It allowed me to confirm some of my previous knowledge as it relates to arms and ammunition, as it relates to the safekeeping, and as I move forward in the Contraband Enforcement Team, I anticipate that my role as an Enforcement Officer will be greatly enhanced,” he said.

Mr. Cammock also highlighted the importance of understanding evolving international practices surrounding firearms management and aligning local enforcement procedures with global standards.

The training programme was conducted through collaboration among the JCA, CARICOM IMPACS, Mines Advisory Group Caribbean, and the United States Embassy.