Police officers upgrade investigation skills on FSV

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WESTERN police officers have upgraded their skills in investigating and prosecuting family and sexual violence cases.
Tabubil-based senior detective Constable Ruso Hate (pic) said the “Strengthening Family Sexual Violence Investigations and Prosecution” workshop had given him the knowledge to lay appropriate charges for different types of sexual offences, including rape, sexual assault and sexual penetration.
Hate, who works in Tabubil’s Criminal Investigation Division, said it was frustrating and concerning to see charges against alleged sexual offenders thrown out of court because of technical errors in the charging process.
“Sometimes, in the field, we are not sure on some of the charges,” he said.
“We charge offenders and when we go to court cases will be withdrawn or struck out due to inappropriate charges.”
Hate said the training he received would change that.
“In this training, we now know the appropriate charges and the appropriate wording of charges that we must use, depending on the circumstances of offences,” he said.
“This is particularly important for officers working at isolated locations like Tabubil, where they, in a typical day, can encounter everything from family and sexual violence to breaking and entering, drug trafficking, child abuse, robbery and murder.”
Hate said officers faced a daunting task policing their community while keeping up with the latest amendments to legislation such as the Criminal Code Act.
He said the workshop had been invaluable in bringing him up-to-date with changes to the law. “The facilitators presented the relevant acts that will guide us.”