Calgary, AB,
09
November
2016
|
10:38
America/Denver

Calgary police to provide training in death notifications to international policing community

Following a request from the international policing community, members of the Calgary Police Service will be providing training on the delivery and management of death notifications.

The request was made by the University of the Caribbean to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP). Being the only police agency in Canada to provide formal, supplementary training for death notifications, the CACP recommended the Calgary Police Service.

Funded by the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs, the project – Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean (IMPACT Justice) – is a five year program being implemented from within the Caribbean Law Institute Centre, Faculty of Law and The University of the West Indies (UWI).

In Calgary, all death notifications are delivered by CPS members. The course created by CPS prepares officers to deal with this difficult duty, both with respect to increasing awareness on the impact on those delivering the message, and the needs of the families being notified.

The two-day training session on death notifications will be provided to police officers from throughout the Caribbean during the week of November 14, 2016. The CPS has been collaborating with IMPACT Justice to ensure we can meet their needs, and address any specific training issues unique to their culture and situation.

“We are honoured to be asked to assist our international policing partners in providing this training,” says Sgt. Andy Woodward. “Death notifications are an important part of our job. They are never easy for officers and shatter the lives of loved ones. The impact can have lasting effects on the family and the officers delivering the news.”

All costs associated to travel, accommodation and related expenses, are being sponsored and paid for by IMPACT Justice.