Cops now being taught to speak Spanish, French, Portuguese

Head of the Guyana Police Force Academy, Senior Superintendent Sonia Herbert, has disclosed that the academy has also expanded its curriculum to prepare officers for changing social and economic realities in Guyana, particularly the country’s rapid development and increasing foreign presence due to the oil and gas sector.
Herbert disclosed that ranks are currently receiving Spanish and French instruction, while others are studying Portuguese through a partnership with the Brazilian Embassy.
“Additionally, we also have foreign language going on because of the recent influx that we’re having of foreign nationals and with the oil and gas industry and all that the development that’s taking place in Guyana,” she said while speaking during the latest edition of the programme Police Roundup.
“We have Spanish and French currently being conducted for ranks in the force so that they can at least have the knowledge of at least one foreign language.”
The academy head further revealed that the institution has already attained both local and international accreditation and is now seeking renewed accreditation while preparing to launch specialized programmes, including tourism policing, diploma programmes, and degree courses.
“Yes, well the Guyana Police Force Academy has attained both local and international accreditation,” Herbert said.
“All right, pretty soon we’ll be looking to renew our accreditation status and with that we have taken the initiative to do program approval documents with the National Accreditation Council to start running off programs like tourism policing.”
She added that the force is also strengthening collaboration with international law enforcement agencies and institutions to expose ranks to global policing standards and specialized training opportunities.
Among the partnerships highlighted were collaborations with the New York City Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, the Regional Security System, and institutions in India.
“We currently have the Miami-Dade police here in Guyana who’s doing a command and control training with senior officers in the force as well as some of our officers from the tactical units,” Herbert disclosed.
She also revealed that approximately 25 ranks were recently sent to India’s National Forensic Science University, where they completed training in psychological interviewing.