Senior police officers of the UK City of London’s Economic and Cyber Crime Academy (ECCA) have arrived in Mauritius as part of a three-month training programme with the Mauritian Police Force (MPF). This is a UK-led programme to provide support on a range of policing issues including carrying out investigations and intelligence gathering. The training will also improve the performance of frontline officers, enabling them to focus on policing matters that cause the greatest harm. City of London experts will also help the MPF scope the new policing demands caused by cybercrime and crypto currencies. These findings will shape recommendations to help improve specialist illicit finance investigations.
This training package follows a series of sessions between UK Deputy Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine and Commander David Lawes with law enforcement agencies in Mauritius in April last year. The visit helped identify areas where the UK could support delivery of Mauritius’ law enforcement strategic plan.
‘Security, efficient law enforcement and cyber are critical sectors for both the UK and Mauritius. The UK government is proud of the excellent and long-standing relationship between our two police forces, with many senior officers having trained in the UK. The UK is at the forefront of high quality and innovative policing for the 21st century. Through this three- month programme, the UK will support Mauritius’s efforts to strengthen capacity of law enforcement agencies to deliver on our shared commitment to safe and fair societies and security,’ said the British High Commissioner, H.E. Charlotte Pierre.
The UK is committed to supporting the Mauritius Police Force through several strands, which includes this strategic policing support programme. The initial scoping was undertaken in April 2022 by Deputy Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine, who holds the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) portfolio for International Policing. DCC Jardine, and Commander David Lawes OBE, seconded into the UK Home Office as a strategic policing advisor. They worked in collaboration with the British High Commission and strategic leads within the Mauritius Police Force. Subsequent recommendations were made in line with the nine strategic objectives set out in the MPF strategic plan 2022- 2025.
