Jamaican Law Officers Get Training in Counter Terrorism

Forty (40) law enforcement officers are currently being trained by a team of former officers from UK National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit (UK NTFIU). The team arrived on the island last week and will provide specialized training on various aspects of counter terrorism and the countering of the financing of terrorism.

Mr. Robin Sykes, Chief Technical Director at the Financial Investigations Division said that, “the training will focus closely on intelligence gathering and investigation techniques”. In addition CTD Sykes said that, “the training will strengthen ongoing capacity building among key agencies, enhance information sharing and co-operation protocols between agencies and suggest requisite legislative changes”.

Officers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch, Financial Investigation Division, Jamaica Customs Agency, Revenue Protection Division, Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency, Bank of Jamaica, Financial Services Commission of Jamaica, Department of Co-Operatives and Friendly Societies, the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade are participating in the training.

Intelligence gathering and investigation techniques continues to be a high priority for the Government of Jamaica and continually seeks to implement initiatives that will strengthen Jamaica’s ability to protect its citizens from threats of terrorism.

The training was arranged with the assistance of the British High Commission and is being funded by the Caribbean Criminal Asset Recovery Programme (CCARP). The programme is administered by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

There has also been input from the private sector in relation to the movement of funds and how law enforcement and the financial services industry can work together.