(CMR) The RCIPS has a newly formed Independent Advisory Group (IAG) to help inform the organization on future policy development regarding crimes committed against women and children, and ‘hate crimes'.
TheRCIPS said the IAG has been established to complement existing community engagement arrangements and aims to create a forum that will seek ongoing advice and collaboration with representatives to help inform RCIPS future policy development across three specific areas. The are: countering violence against women and girls, child safeguarding and protection, and prejudice motivated crime (known in some jurisdictions as ‘Hate Crime’).
Representatives from the Cayman Islands Alliance to End Domestic Violence; Sunrise Adult Training Centre; Cayman Aids Foundation; Cayman Islands Red Cross; Colours Cayman; community members, and others were invited to attend the first session,held recently.
The IAG is chaired by Deputy Chief Officer (DCO), Office of the Commissioner of the Police, Nancy Barnard. It is envisioned that a vice-chair will be selected by members and rotated yearly.
“Our expectation of the sessions is that IAG members will provide an invaluable independent perspective and are encouraged to appropriately challenge police practice to help achieve improvements in service delivery”, said Senior Policy Advisor to RCIPS, Simon Mason.
“As we develop new policy and practice to meet the changing demands of supporting different vulnerability groups within the Cayman Islands, we want to listen to the community and those impacted by such incidents to inform future policing methods whilst challenging current thinking and accepted norms within the community,” he added.
It is anticipated the IAG will meet regularly, at least quarterly, with additional members identified and added along the way as appropriate. Privacy and confidentiality will be maintained in the sessions. To that extent,, the IAG will only be open to invited members,, but appropriate regular public updates will be provided where necessary.
“In return for their contributions, IAG members can expect a commitment to work together with the police on a progressive response that seeks to improve service provision from RCIPS,” said DCO Barnard.
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