Last Friday, 27 May, the RCIPS hosted the first meeting of a newly formed Independent Advisory Group (IAG). 

The IAG has been established by the RCIPS to complement existing community engagement arrangements, and aims to create a forum that will seek ongoing advice and collaboration with representatives to help inform RCIPS future policy development across three specific areas:

• Countering violence against women and girls
• Child safeguarding and protection
• Prejudice motivated crime (known in some jurisdictions as ‘Hate Crime’)

Representatives from the Cayman Islands Alliance to End Domestic Violence; Sunrise Adult Training Centre; Cayman Aids Foundation; Cayman Islands Red Cross; Colours Cayman; community members and others were invited to attend the first session, which was chaired by Deputy Chief Officer (DCO), Office of the Commissioner of the Police, Nancy Barnard. It is envisioned that a vice chair will be selected by members and rotated yearly.

“Our expectation of the sessions is that IAG members will provide an invaluable independent perspective and are encouraged to appropriately challenge police practice to help achieve improvements in service delivery”, says Senior Policy Advisor to RCIPS, Simon Mason. “As we develop new policy and practice to meet the changing demands of supporting different vulnerability groups within the Cayman Islands, we want to listen to the community and those impacted by such incidents to inform future policing methods, whilst challenging current thinking and accepted norms within the community”.

It is anticipated the IAG will meet regularly, at least quarterly, with additional members identified and added along the way as appropriate. Privacy and confidentiality will be maintained in the sessions. To that extent the IAG will only be open to invited members but where necessary and appropriate regular public updates will be provided.

“In return for their contributions, IAG members can expect a commitment to work together with the police on a progressive response that seeks to improve service provision from RCIPS, says DCO Barnard.