VICTORIA, Seychelles — Private Shannon Accouche has won the prestigious President’s Cup for being the best overall performer in the first cohort of the re-introduced Certificate in Policing, an 18-month course for in-service police officers. Private Accouche, who works at the Seychelles Police Scientific Support and Crime Records Bureau at Bois de Rose, was among the first batch of in-service police officers who graduated yesterday with a Seychelles Qualifications Authority (SQA) validated certificate after completing the course at the Seychelles Police Academy.
The 26-year-old received her prize from President Wavel Ramkalawan during the graduation ceremony held at the academy in the presence of the Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka; the Commissioner of Police, Ted Barbe; deputy commissioner Francis Songoire; assistant police commissioner Antoine Denousse; the commander of the academy, assistant superintendent (ASP) Hendrica Marie; members of the police executives; senior and junior members of the force; civilian staff and family members. Apart from the President’s Cup, Private Accouche was also awarded the best academic performer award, while Private Benjamin Sedgwick was awarded for being the best performer in field training. All three were presented with cash prizes, vouchers, gift bags and other prizes generously donated by various sponsors.
In her opening remarks, ASP Marie, who congratulated the graduates on their achievements, expressed her joy at the return of the Certificate programme to the academy’s calendar, a programme she herself completed in 2010. She emphasised that the police will persist with the implementation of the programme for both in-service officers and new recruits, and urged unit commanders to take full advantage of the officers’ skills, knowledge and potentials for the continued development of the force. For his part, Commissioner Barbe, who also congratulated the graduates, said the part-time Certificate in Policing course, comprising theory and practical modules related to policing, leads to an SQA-validated certificate recognised both locally and internationally.
