Police Representatives Attend the Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) Culture and Conduct Conference

The Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and the Office of the Commissioner of Police (OCP), supported the participation of two staff from the OCP, Deputy Chief Officer Nancy Barnard, and Head of RCIPS Protective Services, (formerly the Family Support Unit) Detective Inspector Anderson Taylor, at the Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) Culture and Conduct Conference on 15th and 16th May 2023 at the College of Policing near Coventry, UK.

Chief Officer and Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne said, “It has been an honour for us to have gained the recognition and support of the FCDO as they provide an opportunity for our staff to develop in key areas and stay in turned with the changes taking place globally. This is important for the RCIPS and the OCP as a whole since our aim is to provide a world class service to the Cayman Islands Community. With her advocacy for the development of women within the service and in his role as head of the Protective Services, DCO Nancy Barnard and DI Anderson Taylor did an outstanding job representing the OCP and the Cayman Islands.”

The Conference was about recognising, challenging, and preventing police perpetrated Violence Against Women and Girls, a topical issue in the UK currently and widely recognised globally. Day One looked at the culture in policing and included an update on the development work of behaviour change in relation to sexism and misogyny. The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) UK lead for sexual misconduct, and the NPCC lead for the HeforShe movement also presented. Created by UN Women, the United Nations and boys in removing the social and cultural barriers that prevent women and girls from achieving their potential, and thus together positively reshaping society. Day one also allowed the participants to select from a choice of eight interactive workshops.

Detective Inspector Anderson Taylor, notes: “It was really a pleasure to meet with like-minded persons from different law enforcement agencies/organisations. Coming together to tackle the challenges of VAWG head on is a must. It is a brilliant initiative that deserves all the support it can get as we seek to stamp out this scourge on our society. I am #Heforshe.”

Day Two was conduct focused and included a survivor’s lived experience and active bystandership.  The International Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) UK also spoke on police perpetrated domestic abuse, as well as the Superintendents Association and the Police Federation, both of UK.

Deputy Chief Officer Nancy Barnard said: “The Police and all our public departments are a reflection of the community in which we serve. Culture is vital to the community and to organisations. The RCIPS and the wider OCP seeks to continuously make the workplace and through the policing work we do, the community, more equitable and in turn safer for all females,” adding “as is customary, we will in turn provide a training experience for the wider RCIPS and OCP in the near future, to be able to share in what was learnt.”