25 immigration detention officers graduate

Twenty-five Immigration Detention Centre officers graduated in a ceremony on Wednesday at the Office of Law Enforcement Policy (OLEP) in Port of Spain.

The 25 graduates underwent background investigations, voice stress analysis, medical evaluations and a ten-week non-residential level I law enforcement training programme at the TT Police Service (TTPS) Training Academy as part of their training. Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds congratulated them.

Hinds said in 2009, the ministry's Immigration Division, in conjunction with the government, established an Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) in Aripo with the goal of deterring illegal immigration. The OLEP is also responsible for administering and facilitating training for immigration detention officers.

Addressing the graduates, Hinds expressed gratitude to them for answering the call to serve amidst challenging crime situations and an influx of illegal immigrants.

He emphasised the critical role of immigration officers, saying they are the first and last people travellers meet on entering and leaving TT.

"Through your actions and in particular, how you carry out your job functions, you will paint a picture in the mind of that traveller for a very long time. You create the first and sometimes the last impression visitors have of our country, so I urge you to ensure that that impression is a positive one."

Hinds said increasing manpower at the IDC is essential to ensure it remains sufficiently staffed with well trained personnel who can support the existing detention officers.

He also said his ministry remains committed to increasing new recruits in the TTPS, as part of its crime prevention plan, by 2024.

He ended by thanking the OLEP for its work on the border security policy.