The donation consists of digital forensic technology, satellite phones, laptops, cameras, and new smart board training and operational planning equipment. (British High Commission)
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(Seychelles News Agency) - Donation of technical equipment made to the Seychelles Police Force by the British High Commission is set to boost the training capability of future officers.
The technical equipment will be used as part of the ongoing implementation of the Strategic Review of Policing launched in June 2022.
The donation consists of digital forensic technology, satellite phones, laptops, cameras, and new smart board training and operational planning equipment.
The Strategic Review of 2023-2025 exercise, which was conducted by the British experts, namely Sir George Hamilton, Philip Knox, and Raymond Murray, has 15 recommendations.
The training of staff, especially young officers, was among the recommendations as it was sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Young recruits for the police force are trained at the Seychelles Police Academy (SPA) based in the eastern Mahe district at Pointe Larue.
Speaking to SNA on Wednesday, Assistant Superintendent Hendrika Marie said that the interactive panel smart boards, which can directly connect to the internet, will be placed in classes at the academy.
"This will facilitate the use of digital resources – videos, YouTube – to reinforce our training quality. It will also allow us to conduct mass training when doing virtual training," said Marie.
She added that "other equipment will be placed in the computer rooms. At the moment, the computer rooms are only accessed by students, but we also want police officers to be able to use them to carry out research. The donations will help us achieve this aim."
Marie told SNA that the British High Commission assisted the police force with the strategic review and "at the end of the year when they reviewed the funds that they had, they decided to assist us with the extras as they are fully engaged with the implementation of our strategic plans."
According to a press release from the British High Commission on Tuesday, during the handing over of the equipment, the British High Commissioner, Patrick Lynch, said: "There have been many different elements to this support, with world-leading technical equipment being complemented by the presence of world-leading experts."
"The UK is the supporting partner, with the change being led by local experts who are designing Seychellois solutions to Seychellois challenges. There is no doubt that the biggest threat to this country at the moment is heroin, with rates of use being worse than in any other country in the world," added Lynch.
He said that "tragically, many lives have already been lost, and as the situation has deteriorated, we can see a huge risk to tourism, which drives the local economy. There is absolutely no reason that the heroin networks cannot be quickly dismantled."
For security reasons, no further information was provided by the British High Commission on the digital forensic technology handed over to the Seychelles Police Force and how it will be used.
SNA was unable to reach an officer within the police force to get more details on the benefits of such technology.
