Uniform branches join forces in recruitment drive

| 23/08/2016 | 7 Comments

Cayman News Service(CNS): The local fire, prison and police services are joining forces this month to enhance their respective recruitment drives and encourage young Caymanians to start a career in law enforcement and public safety. Between them the uniformed services are looking for up to 32 local people to join any of the three services at the entry level, where they will be given on the job training. The three services will be holding a job drive on Wednesday 31 August at the Town Hall in George Town from 3pm to 6pm.

The prison service, in particular, is looking to attract locals as traditionally that department has not been popular with Caymanians, according to its human resources manager, Raquel Solomon. She said the agency’s objective with the recruitment drive is to raise the profile of the prison service and pique the interest of local residents in correctional careers.

“Historically we have not had great interest in the prison service from local candidates, but in the 2015 recruitment drive we managed to hire all Caymanian and permanent resident candidates. We hope to do that again this year,” she explained.

Employment duties include securing the prisoners, ensuring good order and discipline in the prisons and promoting rehabilitative focus amongst the inmate population. Prison officers can then go on to choose from a variety of careers within the service, such as security and intelligence or the options of working as reception and orientation staff, vocational instructors or re-entry and escort staff.

“There are many benefits to choosing a career in the prison service,” Solomon said. “It provides the chance to be part of a professional team led by experienced and dynamic managers. Working as a prison officer means you will be part of a multicultural response team unified in their commitment to safety, security and rehabilitation.”

The police launched their annual recruitment drive at the beginning of this month and hope to find ten locals aged between 18 and 40 to join the RCIPS entry level course in January.

Acting Commissioner of Police Anthony Ennis said people considering a career in the prison and fire service are also likely to want to consider the option of the police as well. He said the RCIPS is looking for Caymanians who are bright and energetic, motivated by the idea of public service and serving their country.

“Being a police officer is an extraordinary experience,” Ennis said. “The work is fascinating and there are regular opportunities for career advancement and personal development. But most importantly it is fulfilling. Every day we get the chance to make a positive difference for individuals and society as a whole.”

Ennis said candidates should have a solid academic foundation, be physically fit and of good character.

Acting HR Manager at the fire service, Kandie Hurlston, said the fair was a great opportunity for the three agencies to meet with potential candidates.

The Cayman Islands Fire Service has been very successful at recruiting local officers though the fact that the current fire chief is the first in decades not to come from Cayman caused some controversy recently. But David Haines has committed to succession planning and ensuring that, in time, he is replaced by a Caymanian. The CIFS, which has had a hiring freeze for some time, is looking for 15 new officers.

“As we are in the business of saving lives and protecting property, filling these vacancies ensures the department’s ability to maintain the high level of service, which members of the public have come to expect and rely upon,” Hurlston said. “Some of the traits that we are looking for in applicants include integrity, physical fitness, empathy, effective communication, flexibility, dedication, situational awareness, and the ability to work well within a team.”

During the recruitment drive, staff will be on hand to make brief presentations and answer questions from all three service.

The application deadline for RCIPS is Monday, 5 September. Completed application forms can be sent to localrecruits@rcips.ky. For further information, visit www.rcips.ky/careers.

The application deadline for CIFS is Wednesday, 7 September 2016. Completed application forms can be sent to CIFSRecruitment@gov.ky. For further information, visit www.cifs.gov.ky.

Completed application forms for HMCIPS can be sent to prisoncareers@gov.ky or dropped off at Prison Headquarters, HMP Northward.

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Comments (7)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Another Brilliant move by CIG. Never before I have seen this level of cooperation between our law enforcement agencies.

    Time for our young Caymanian men and women to step up and be part of the solution

    I like the idea of using the cadet core to supply our law enforcement agencies.

    We have entered a new era folks and we must be proud of what we are seeing.

    Just a few years ago things were so different corruption trials unstable government silo mentality and no opportunities for our young people. Now look at where we are now. These are undisputed facts.

  2. Diogenes says:

    Following a recruitment drive to encourage Caymanians to participate in the uniformed services, CIG hired 2 Brits and an Irishman to head the uniformed services.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Time for Cayman to put into action the rhetoric being spouted about these organisations. Get applying as it is the perfect opportunity for succession planning that’s is so often said is missing!

  4. Caymanian idiot says:

    Just an idea here.

    We have a cadet Core on island, why hasn’t anyone looked at taking this away from the current government agency it is with and put it under the ministry of home affairs.
    Reason for this is, at the age of 17 our youth finish school and look for jobs, well what would happen if we gave the option at 16yrs to join this and have the a uniformed services course , the RCIPS, immigration, fire dept and prison services have all got training departments, they could all set up 3-6 month trying session’s.

    These students could then decide during the 2 year or 3 year course whether they would want to join either departments.

    Of course you would have to arrange some sort of payment to these students at least for their 3 year, as if the course was deigned properly they could be doing general duties for trying purposes.

    Just a thought but I know no one would consider this as the current cadets boss is making over 75k pa for doing bugger all & if this would be considered there would be money saved as all the departments above are already paying training officers.

    • Anonymous says:

      That’s a very good idea but this government doesn’t give a damn about really having a professional and well-resourced police, fire or prison service or they wouldn’t be punishing police officers at present for getting a well-deserved and overdue raise last year. So the idea that they would fund anything like an academy like this is fantasy. But with a reasonable government it is a very good suggestion.

    • Anonymous says:

      Good thought, however lets go even better by improving the education system so kids want to go to University or vocational college and gain real skills and diplomas and not need to work at 17.

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