CAREER PROGRESSION

Published January 09, 2019

This month, we received an email from an alumna who attended the “Leadership for Women in Law Enforcement Training Program” in December 2017. Madam Henrietta works with the Ghana Immigration Service as the Officer-in-Charge of the Enforcement Unit in the one of the Regional Commands. She shared how the skills and knowledge she acquired during the RTC course impacted her promotion to the rank of a Chief Superintendent of Immigration. In her own words, let’s hear what she had to say!

The five (5) day training delivery on “Leadership for Women in Law Enforcement” was a great boost in my career as an immigration officer. The instructor team from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) and the invited panelist explained in detail the different concepts of leadership with regards to women in law enforcement. They also placed much emphasis on the importance of motivating subordinates to be very effective in their outputs. When I returned to my station in the Western Regional Command, I shared the knowledge and skills that I learned at the RTC with my colleagues. Also, I was able to convince my superiors to institute weekly meetings to keep officers in the unit updated with the Ghana laws and regulations as well as trending security issues.

As a result of the training I attended at the RTC, I have improved on my communication and interpersonal skills with my superiors, peers and subordinates. Currently, I am able to assign tasks and responsibilities to my subordinates according to their strengths and abilities. Additionally, senior officers coach and monitor junior officers that have been assigned various roles in the unit. This development has helped boost the morale of most officers and, as a result, helped increase productivity. It has also created an environment where both junior and senior officers work together as a team to solve several immigration-related cases. This is evident in the increased efficiency in intelligence gathering and investigations which are the primary focus of the enforcement unit.

Another positive change is that, I am able to express my views and opinions with my superiors in a more submissive manner and with less conflict. The lecture on conflict management during the training has put me in a position to effectively manage disputes both at work and at home.

In summary, the training on Leadership for Women in Law Enforcement has really benefited me and informed my promotion to the rank of Chief Superintendent of Immigration. As I exercise my duties in my current position, I will continue to make good use of the tools and skills that I acquired during my stay at the RTC.

Recommendation

Looking at how the training has enhanced my career as female leader in law enforcement, I strongly recommend that a follow up course be organized by the RTC for an in-depth understanding of behaviors and motivators to foster effective communication in the achievement of strategic goals of our respective institutions.

Interesting, isn’t it? Share your success with the RTC today via info@westafricartc.org.