For the first time in Anguilla there has been a family liaison support course to train police officers to provide comforting, emotional, assistance to families of victims of serious crime. The one-week workshop ends on Friday, December 4.
“We have Philip Stokoe, who is delivering the family liaison training,” Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Morrison, told The Anguillian on Tuesday, December 1. “In future, when we have serious crimes or any crime where we need to manage families while [engaged] in an investigative function, we will [provide that service] in a sympathetic and empathetic way.”
Mr. Morrison continued: “In the Family Liaison Course we have four officers from Anguilla and two from the BVI. We will also have our present and future Senior Investigating Officers and Detectives to sit in at some of the lectures. There is a need for all of them to be educated in terms of this role. It is new to Anguilla. The BVI have or had Family Liaison Officers, but this is the first time that we are having such dedicated officers.
Mr. Stokoe is among a number of British personnel currently assisting the Royal Anguilla Police Force. The other three are helping with investigations into four unsolved murders committed in Anguilla during this year.
