News

Two Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers were selected to represent the Cayman Islands at the National Women of Colour in Policing UK Conference which carried the theme “Seeing is Believing, Inclusivity Through Shared Learning, Male Violence Against Women and Girls” in 2024. In attendance was Inspector Joleta Wolliston who is a Critical Incident Manager in charge of a shift at the George Town Police Station and the Chairperson for the Women in Policing Network along with Detective Constable Mikayla Rankin, who currently works with the Protective Service / MASH Unit.

The officers were funded by the Foreign Common Wealth and Development Office (FCDO), which assisted the Cayman Islands, amongst other British Overseas Territories in the region, in attending and participating in this very important global discussion.

The programme allowed the officers who attended to understand the growth process, journey and the effects posed on women of colour in policing as well as barriers and how they overcame those over time. It also captured the importance of being vocal about these experiences as this recognises the legacy left behind by the pioneers of the various periods. Being vocal also allows others to learn from the experiences of some and empowers others to effect their changes.

Inspector Wolliston stated “The importance of documentation of changes that were made over time, like the implementation of remove the Women from the term Women Police Constables (WPC) to simply Police Constables, since both men and women have equal value in our service, is important in highlighting how far we’ve come and the direction we are headed now that we have also implemented the Women in Policing Network that is aimed at Enabling, Empowering and Supporting the women in service to the Cayman Islands with the RCIPS.”

Inspector Wolliston and DC Rankin also highlighted discussion regarding violence against women, including sexual exploitation and domestic violence. DC Rankin stated “As an officer working within the Protective Services of the RCIPS it was very enlightening to discuss matters that I am involved with investigating regularly. I was able to compare how other jurisdictions manage their incidents and identify learning opportunities, not just for myself but my team as a whole.”

The Senior Leadership Team would like to thank Inspector Wolliston and DC Rankin for representing the RCIPS and the Cayman Islands at this programme in the UK. The officers could even connect with the CIG UK Representative, Dr Tasha Ebanks-Garcia, and provide some insight into their visit.

Commissioner Kurt Walton stated “It is always a pleasure to partner with the FCDO to allow our staff opportunities such as these to network with others globally and provide them with fresh perspective and learning opportunities. This goes a long way in ensuring that the service as a whole remains fit for purpose on a global level. I am pleased with the officers' takeaways from this programme and look forward to seeing their development following this opportunity.”