CoP: New police units already training

MEMBERS of four new police units are being trained in their respective fields, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said yesterday.

He told Newsday, while there was no need for additional staffing in relation to the new units, there would be some shift in manpower and resources within the service. The units – the white-collar crime unit, gender-based violence unit, school intervention services and the animal cruelty unit – are expected to be introduced on November 1.

The CoP said he had received assistance with training from outside entities, including former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

“The training has already begun for them, and there are several people who have been assisting in the training of these officers to ensure that they are prepared.

“There are no concerns for extra staffing, as there will be some restructuring to properly allocate manpower to the new units. For instance, there are some units that would have been established years ago that are no longer practical in the 21st century, and there are newer, emerging threats like cyber crime and terrorism that would require higher priority.”

In the case of the white-collar crime unit, Griffith said it would be an amalgamation of the Financial Investigations Bureau, the Cyber Crime Unit, Fraud Squad and the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau.

Also as part of the new fleet of police units, there is expected to be a maritime or coastal patrol unit and enhanced air capabilities.