REDTRAC Celebrates 25 Years Of Training In Law Enforcement

The Caribbean Regional Drug Law Enforcement Training Centre (REDTRAC) is celebrating 25 years of operation. REDTRAC is a division of the Ministry of National Security (MNS), and is a post-secondary, special-focus training institution and a regional training hub established to strengthen regional law-enforcement capabilities. Its aim is to develop and deliver training courses to meet the needs of law-enforcement, drug-control, border-control, financial-control and related agencies across the English-speaking Caribbean. The division was officially commissioned into service on September 27, 1996 by the then Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Hon. P.J. Patterson.

To commemorate the 25-year milestone, the team from REDTRAC held a church service at the National Police College of Jamaica lecture theatre in Twickenham Park, Spanish Town, on Sunday. Their celebration was held under the theme ‘Continuing the Journey, Going Virtual’. In delivering remarks, Permanent Secretary at the National Security Ministry, Courtney Williams, noted that REDTRAC has bolstered the capacity of the Ministry of National Security in narcotics and financial investigations, alongside intelligence gathering.

“This division has strategically enhanced our efforts to tackle cybercrime through post-secondary training, offered at the National Police College of Jamaica to members and prospective members of our security forces.” Mr. Williams said.

Mr. Williams also said that the entity has faced considerable challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and this has thwarted its efforts to expand knowledge base across the region.

“Notwithstanding these COVID-related impediments, the journey continues. Participants will continue to receive practical training in the skills required to maximise effectiveness in enhancing knowledge and strengthening capacity in the Caribbean, for the Caribbean and by the Caribbean, particularly in crippling illicit transnational drug trades,” she said.

In its 25 years, REDTRAC has added several courses to its curriculum to include Basic Financial Investigation, which is being offered with the assistance of the Caribbean Anti-Money Laundering Programme; Techniques of Financial Investigation, with assistance from the United States Treasury Department; and Enterprise Risk Management.

In summarising some of the achievements of the institution, Director Principal at REDTRAC, Major (Ret’d) George Benson, noted that REDTRAC achieved Associate Membership status within the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP) and became a founding member of the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) Global Law Enforcement Training Network (LE TrainNet) as well as the LE TrainNet focal point for the Caribbean.

“Despite Tropical Storm Grace, power outages, Covid-19 lockdown days and internet challenges, we smashed many digital barriers. We were able to offer a 10-day, fully fledged, virtual, regional Port Facility Security Officer Course between August 16 and 27 of this year. All aspects were totally digital, totally automated exercises, assessments and course material and we were able to system generate digital course certificates issued to graduates through VirTrac, the virtual learning environment of REDTRAC.” Major Benson said.

He noted that REDTRAC is proud of its reach across the Caribbean which is personified with its 13,000-strong alumni and all the stakeholders and partner agencies with whom they are aligned.