Since Monday, 114 young women aspiring-police officers, go-getter and determined, began a training at the Police Academy, braving, for the most part, the reluctance of their family. Aware of the dangers to which are faced the agents responsible to enforce the order in neighborhoods sometimes difficult, they say they are ready for the challenge.

Divided into 18 groups, they will be trained for seven months, followed by an internship in police stations in the country and continuing education sessions. After one year, they will be tested, like their 988 men colleagues, to officially become Cadets of the 24th promotion. During their training, police recruits will focus inter alia on : gender violence, handcuffing techniques, defensive tactics and other disciplines related to police work.

According to the Inspector General Miguélite Maximé, Director of the Police Academy, the trainings are the same, regardless of gender. "They attend classes in the same classroom that men and practice the same exercise," by cons by their dormitories and toilets are separated.

If the PNH already included female officers since its first promotion in 1995, women still represent a small percentage of the total workforce. "Everywhere in the world we advocate the observance of a 30% quota of women in public institutions while within the National Police of Haiti (PNH), on a workforce of approximately 10,000 police officers, we have least of 800 women," lamented the Inspector Maximé, adding that considerable efforts are made ​​to encourage women to integrate the PNH "We give seminars in schools of girls, such as the 'Lycée des jeunes filles' in Port-au-Prince where we talk with them to discuss their importance within the PNH [...] women have their place within the police force, because they are able."

To be admitted to the Academy, applicants must pass the general knowledge tests, physical exercises and psychological, medical examinations and interview.

Moreover, in order to feminize the police institution, a dozen young women also undergo a special training of one year on the treatment of cases of gender-based violence, in Colombia. Once their training is complete, they will have to manage these types of problems in their respective police stations.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8254-haiti-security-1-102-police-cadets-in-the-24th-promotion.html

HL/ HaitiLibre