Law enforcement officers attend Statia Court session

The Daily Herald writes that eleven law enforcement officers attended a criminal session of the Joint Court of Justice on St. Eustatius on Tuesday afternoon.

The group of officers comprised 11 members of the Police and Immigration Departments of St. Maarten, Saba and Statia. They are trained and instructed to become members of the royal Dutch constabulary Marechaussee. Group members were all seen taking notes while the criminal suspects were led before Judge Tamara Tijhuis for their trials, which mostly involved charges of domestic violence.
Five of the trainees are from Statia. Four are to become Marechaussees, while one of them is working at Customs. One person is attending the training to be upgraded to becoming a Marechaussee on Saba.
Coordinator Cor Kranenburg said it concerns a six months training, which includes 11 weeks of classes and four weeks of practical on-the-job training. “Then they will return for another four weeks of training and back to another five weeks of practice on the job, which will be concluded with practical exams,” he explained.