Thirteen young Caymanians completed their summer internships with the RCIPS last Friday.

During the four-week programme the students worked in a variety of departments including Financial Crime, Process, Scenes of Crime, Fleet Management and the Joint Marine Unit. In all cases they were matched with departments and roles which complemented their chosen areas of study and their future career aspirations.

All of the students had an opportunity to visit an array of departments within the Service to allow them to gain a better understanding of the wide-ranging roles carried out by officers and police staff.

Deion Williams, who worked with the Financial Crime Unit ,said: “I learned that the FCU deal with any type of crime that involved money and will investigate forensics to find evidence. My experience was great and I had a lot of fun learning something new every day.  If I have the chance I would love to go back one day.”

“This experience has been educating and challenging,” said Tevin Vernon of his time with the Security and Firearms Licensing Dept. “I learned the importance of filing and processing documents.  I was able to rotate to a few different sections and saw a lot about RCIPS operations that I was not aware of. I believe that I am now more comfortable in dealing with people and better able to keep a positive mind.”

Reymon Rodriquez found his attachment to Fleet Management extremely rewarding. “Working in fleet allowed me the opportunity to learn a lot about cars and the various parts,” he said. “I was able to help check when the cars were due for service based on mileage and I learned how to use some of the special tools and equipment.”

Deandra Ebanks hopes to pursue a career in Psychology. She feels that her attachment to the Family Support Unit, where officers work with people who are dealing with sensitive family issues, has helped her more clearly define her career path.

Commissioner David Baines was delighted with the commitment and work ethic demonstrated by the interns throughout their time with the Service. “Every one of the students threw themselves into their respective roles,” he said. “It was important for us to use the opportunity to showcase what we do and what we can offer the future Caymanian workforce. But we also wanted to ensure that the students enjoyed their attachments while gaining valuable work-based experience. I hope that they found the experience as rewarding as we did and that they may consider becoming permanent members of the RCIPS in the years to come.”