Walton takes step closer to top cop job

(CNS): Local Senior police officer, Chief Superintendent Kurt Walton, has taken a step closer to securing the top job in the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. He is currently participating in the UK’s Policing Strategic Command course and isconfident the hard worked associated with it will benefit not just him but the RCIPS and the wider Cayman community. In a move designed to ensure local officers are encouraged to realise their full potential within the service, the RCIPS said that he was nominated for the specialist course, which aims to prepare police leaders for the 21st century and produce a pool of operationally credible, professional and competent officers who have the potential to be promoted to senior ranks.

Police officials said that there are thirty-six people on the course, which began on 13 January and will run until late March. The participants are police officers, mainly from the UK, of the rank of chief superintendent and above. In addition, some public sector executive leaders are in attendance. Walton is one of only two participants from the Caribbean.

The themes of the SCC, which is based in Hampshire, concentrate on the three domains of police leadership, including executive, which is designed to create resilient, confident, emotionally intelligent, ethical, politically astute leaders, with clear values and vision, and with credibility as public sector leaders at the executive level. The business side concentrates on creating accountable public sector leaders with executive business skills, able to lead and transform high profile multi-million pound public sector organisations with integrity, whilst safeguarding the public. Finally, professional policing is about qualified operational police commanders ready to be appointed to chief officer roles.

Walton said he was relishing the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with other senior officers and executives alike.

“It has been challenging and thought provoking thus far,” he said in a press release from the RCIPS. A number of experts conducting the lectures have been carefully selected by the college from a cross sector of business chief executives, professors and senior police leaders, including Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

"We have demanding daily assignments which sometimes take us into the late part of the night, preparing for the next day. It’s hard work, but I can already see the benefits that this course will bring, “Walton stated. 

“The SCC presents an opportunity for all of the senior leaders on the course to engage in a demanding and stretching programme in preparation for transition to executive level posts. I’m sure that the experience I gain from this will not only benefit me as an individual, but will enhance my performance as a senior police officer. That can only benefit the organisation and, of course, the communities we serve,” he added.

Police Commissioner David Baines said he was delighted that the RCIPS was able to secure a place on the SCC for Walton.

“It’s vitally important that our young Caymanian leaders have an opportunity to experience training and development at the highest levels," said Baines, who took the course in 2005.

“I speak from experience when I say that Kurt will thoroughly enjoy it, but more importantly it will allow him to develop his full potential and ensure that he is better equipped for any future promotion. We are all working towards the day when local talent take on the most senior positions within the RCIPS,” Baines stated in the release.  “The inclusion of a Caymanian on the Strategic Command Course takes us one step closer to realising that goal."