Marine Police, SCG benefit from US training programme |15 April 2016

A group of young officers from the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) and the Marine Police Unit have completed a two-week training conducted by a group of officers from the United States Coast Guard International Division.

Yesterday in a short ceremony attended by the Commissioner of Police Ernest Quatre as well as key officers of the SCG at its base at Ile Perseverance, the young officers received their certificates and boarding officers’ pin.

Three young officers – Andry Esparon, Jerome Philoe (both from the SCG) and Dominic Hess from the Marine Police Unit – were awarded a special honour graduate coin for excellence in the training. They have been selected for further intensive training in their field.

Todd Walters, the senior US Coast Guard officer who led the training, said the young officers worked together and content of the training programme included maritime international law, defensive tactics, use of force procedures and drug identification, among others.

“The aim is to stop illicit activities within the Seychelles territorial waters,” Mr Walters pointed out.

He noted that the programme included both theory and practical combined.

He said the officers were really eager to learn and very enthusiastic.

Ronny Matatiken, the consultant who requested the training for the Marine Police officers, said the unit is new and the aim is to boost its capacity, so that it becomes on par with other forces in terms of preparedness and its ability to detect and fight transnational crimes.

“Marine police is a new unit and the officers don’t have boarding experience which forms the largest part of their duties and responsibilities on a daily basis,” Mr Matatiken said.

At the end of the ceremony, Mr Walters handed over a batch of training equipment for the police to Commissioner Quatre.