Police officers told to raise standards after completing forensic training

Detectives were urged to set new benchmarks in investigative standards following the graduation of 24 officers from a basic crime scene investigation and management course.

Speaking at the Regional Police Training Centre, course coordinator Sergeant Mouricio Chase said the training programme was developed to strengthen both the technical abilities and investigative mindset of officers within the Barbados Police Service.

He said: “From its inception, this course was designed as a cornerstone of the Barbados Police Service’s commitment to professionalisation and modernisation. Every topic, every exercise, and every case scenario was scaffolded to ensure that the officers who leave here today return to their divisions, not only with technical knowledge but with a raised sense of investigative duty.

“The participants here today, drawn from a wide cross-section of stations and operational formations across the service, were immersed in a curriculum that blended structured theory with real-world forensic application.”

Course Coordinator Sergeant Mauricio Chase.

The course covered key areas such as crime scene documentation, trace evidence handling, operational forensics, and human rights. It combined classroom learning with practical, scenario-based exercises aimed at reinforcing the application of forensic skills in real-world settings.

“Each piece of evidence collected, each measurement taken, each sketch drawn, is a step in building or breaking a case,” Sergeant Chase noted. “That is the burden and the honour of investigative policing.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ian Branch, addressing the graduating officers, highlighted the significance of detailed and consistent crime scene work.

He said: “Let’s be clear, crime scene investigation is not glamorous work. It is meticulous, sometimes exhausting and often overlooked. But it is one of the most vital cogs in the machinery of justice. As sworn officers, you are crime scene professionals who hold the power to influence the outcome of justice. A single overlooked detail can affect an entire case, but equally, a well-documented, carefully preserved scene can lead to truth, closure, and justice.”  

DCP Branch urged officers not to let the skills acquired during the course fade with time.

He said: “Now that you’ve been equipped, what comes next is just as important as what was taught. Practise what you’ve learned. Don’t let these skills fade. Raise the bar at your stations, be the model others can follow.”

Graduates of the Basic Crime Scene Investigation and Management Course take a photo with some of the top brass in the Barbados Police Service.