SURINAME'S POLICE ACADEMY TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000072 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - LLUFTIG DEPT FOR INL/LP NBOZZOLO, KBROWN CARACAS FOR LEGATT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM SNAR EAID PGOV PREL NS SUBJECT: SURINAME'S POLICE ACADEMY TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF INL ASSISTANCE 1.(U) Summary. In July 2005 Post through its International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) program funded the renovation of a classroom building on the campus of the Surinamese Police Corps' (KPS) training academy and donated translation and presentation equipment. Since the much- needed overhaul of the dilapidated building, the classrooms have been in constant use, allowing KPS members of all ranks to enhance their skills in a variety of areas, including forensic investigations and human rights. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Over the two past years, the KPS has made a concerted effort to increase the quantity and quality of its officer force, which is roughly 1,200 people in size. During 2005, nearly 200 recruits completed basic level training, while the KPS is on track to train an additional 300 recruits by the end of the first quarter of 2007. Suriname's Chief of Police Delano Braam told the Embassy that the KPS is also making long-term investments in its middle and senior level personnel through additional managerial and technical training. In order to reach its goals, the KPS police academy has been upgrading its facilities to attract the highest quality recruits and provide a professional learning environment for current KPS members that meets international standards. ¶3. (U) Post's classroom project dovetailed into the KPS efforts for increased quality training opportunities. The majority of classroom buildings at the academy are in sub- standard condition where a lack of air-conditioning exposes learning materials and computer equipment to tropical humidity. Through its INL program, Post renovated the ceilings, walls, and floors of one classroom building and installed air conditioning units. The renovations turned an unusable space with a leaky roof into two modern classrooms that now house computers available for information technology classes along with space for international training seminars. ¶4. (U) Since the completion of the renovations six months ago, the KPS, often in cooperation with Dutch law enforcement experts, have used the classrooms to conduct courses on techniques in forensic investigations; human rights responsibilities in policing; relations between police officers and defense attorneys and prosecutors; handling victims of crime; domestic violence and sexual abuse; and how to improve police relations with the public. ¶5. (U) With the renovated classrooms, the police academy now has suitable facilities to host future INL funded FBI training courses, the first one being planned for May. Having trainings at the academy will result in significant long-term savings since we will no longer need to rent expensive hotel conference halls as training sites. The donation of translation equipment also saves the rental costs of such equipment for future USG funded training. The translation equipment will also enable Dutch-speaking Suriname to take advantage of possible training opportunities with experts from its French, Portuguese, and English speaking neighbors. ¶6. (U) KPS Chief Braam recently relayed his deep appreciation to the USG for the police academy project. He said that he was very pleased with the results thus far and feels that the project is making a contribution to his management team's efforts to increase the quality of the KPS police force and to bring the KPS training program up to international standards. The director of the police academy told the Embassy that he has plans to upgrade other classroom facilities with KPS resources using the renovated classroom building as the standard. Post feels these new plans exemplify the cooperative relationship between Post's INL program and the KPS. LEONARD