College of Policing delivers ‘cutting edge’ training to Royal Bahamas Police Force

Trainers from the College of Policing delivered a world-class leadership course in the Bahamas which was described as ‘cutting edge’ by the country’s British High Commissioner.

At the invitation of Bahamas Commissioner Clayton Fernander, Senior Leadership Trainers Superintendent Dan Patrick and Superintendent Louise Galliott-Thornton travelled to the island this month and presented the College’s Emerging Leaders Course to local officers. The training developed personal, organisational, and operational leadership skills for 20 officers who were identified as future leaders.

Dan said: “It has been a privilege to work with and get to know a great cohort of Inspectors from the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The training exposes them to a variety of leadership theories and explores practical applications for their own working environment.

“We were really encouraged by the group’s positivity, and I’d like to thank those on the course and the senior leadership for welcoming us in their country. We hope this is the start of an enduring relationship which contributes towards their ongoing leadership development within Royal Bahamas Police Force.”

The College of Policing programme, which was facilitated through the British High Commissioner, provides the learning outcomes and programme content needed for officers, staff, and volunteers to meet UK national police leadership standards.

Julian Roadnight, the College’s International Policing Advisor, said: “We welcome the opportunity to work with our policing colleagues in the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The fight against crime is a global concern, and building strong relationships between agencies which share similar values supports this.

“It’s also a two-way street in that while we share good practice internationally, we also welcome good practice from our overseas colleagues. During our work alongside the Royal Bahamas Police Force, we’ve certainly learned a lot from the force’s approach to community policing.”

Bahamas-based British High Commissioner Thomas Hartley said, “I am very pleased the College of Policing is providing leadership training in the Bahamas. Modern policing was invented in the UK in the 19th century, and the UK remains on the cutting edge of policing tactics and techniques, including community policing, and organisational leadership.

“We are very pleased to continue our decades-old partnership with the Royal Bahamas Police Force with this training, and I am grateful to Commissioner Fernander for identifying such an excellent cohort of future police leaders.”

The College works closely with the Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and other departments to ensure international assistance is consistent with the UK’s national and international objectives.