The first cohort of 95 Special Reserve Police (SRP) Officers trained under the School-Oriented Policing Course, graduated today, Friday 5th September, 2025, at a ceremony held at the Police Academy, St. James.
The graduation was attended by Deputy Commissioner of Police, ‘Operations’, Junior Benjamin, Deputy Commissioner of Police, ‘Administration and Operational Support’, Natasha George, who delivered the feature address, Provost, Dr. Simon Alexis, Superintendent of Police, ‘Community-Oriented Policing Section’, David Guelmo, and SRP Adjutant, Assistant Superintendent of Police, (Ag.) Joel Davidson.
As she delivered the feature address, DCP George, declared to the graduands, that they were pioneers and they were being entrusted with the country’s most valuable resource – it’s children.
She said that for far too long, school violence and anti-social behaviour were having a negative impact on the education sector.
DCP George said this was going to change.
“Today, we are taking decisive steps to change this narrative and the initial deployment of 95 specially trained SRP officers, strengthened by 25 Community Policing Officers trained as Field Training Officers, confirms our commitment to restoring schools as safe, disciplined and supportive spaces for growth.”
The 95 officers underwent specialised training at the Academy, designed to prepare them to effectively support schools in maintaining safe, disciplined and nurturing environments.
The initiative forms part of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s continued commitment to enhancing community policing strategies and ensuring safe and supportive spaces for children.
It represents a significant step in strengthening the partnership between law enforcement and the Education Sector and equips the officers with the tools, competencies and knowledge necessary to engage effectively with students, teachers and communities, while upholding safety, promoting trust and supporting positive youth development.
Among the areas covered in the School-Oriented Policing Course were:
-Fundamentals of Child and Adolescent Development,
-Children Justice Procedures,
-Alternative Dispute Resolution,
-The Role and Function of the Police in a School Environment and
-Community Policing within Schools.
The officers are expected to be assigned to 50 yet to be identified high-risk schools across the country to combat instances of school violence.
