Testimonials from the Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques Course
Published August 15, 2017
Group Picture of RTC Programme Director, CTP Programme Managers and Instructor Team
The West Africa Regional Center (RTC) facilitated a one week Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques Course in August 2017. Officials from the Ghanaian law enforcement community participated in this training. At the end of the week, the participants had nothing but high praise for the FBI instructors as well as the RTC Program Management Staff, for a well-delivered course. In his closing remarks, Ghana’s National Security Coordinator, Joshua Kyeremeh, thanked the U.S. Government for supporting Ghana’s criminal justice sector, with foreign technical assistance. The Program Director of the RTC also encouraged participants to apply the knowledge acquired in the course and reassured the group that the RTC would continue to support the work of Ghanaian Law Enforcement with high-quality training. The participants provided great feedback on the training, which we would like to share it with you.
Participant number one
This was one of the best trainings that I have ever attended. The agenda was packed with activity for the entire week. There was a good balance between theory and practical exercises that helped us to fully grasp the concepts. What stood out to me was the module on cognitive interviewing, usually conducted after a traumatic incident. This is very relevant to our part of the world where sometimes, the investigators primary concern is to take photos after an incident has occurred, rather than removing the subject from harmful environments.
The instructors were awesome - they were evidently passionate about their jobs. They were very affable, open, encouraging and approachable.
Participant number two
The training was very well coordinated and beneficial to my career as a law enforcement officer. In fact, I believe the training will have a huge impact on my job. The content was very relevant as it included information on things that we do on the job. It reinforced existing knowledge and gave me fresh insight. Two things were particularly striking to me: the content on active listening as well as the session on counter-terrorism. I will be able to apply the concepts learned on the job. Additionally, the instructors were very passionate and of high quality.
Participant number three
I really enjoyed the training because it served as a refresher course of some sorts, building on our knowledge and skill base. I appreciated the module on active listening- I learnt that interviews take conscious efforts in order not to miss out on relevant information. Another important thing I learnt was the content on preparing for an interview. Failure will be imminent without adequate preparation. The instructor team was great. Right from the start, there was a bond between the class and the instructor team and this facilitated the knowledge sharing process. I hope to share the knowledge acquired with my colleagues, as I believe it will be beneficial to the entire unit.
Participant number four
I must say I am highly impressed with this course. The content was well tailored to our needs as investigators in the Ghanaian Intelligence service. We use interviewing and interrogation skills in most of our operations. This course has added on a new layer of knowledge that will surely enhance our work.
I was particularly interested in the cognitive interviewing process and I learned how to glean information from a subject, even when they are unwilling to speak. I look forward to sharing the course content with my colleagues, especially on how to handle subjects after traumatic events. The instructors were very knowledgeable and knew what they were teaching. The RTC facility and staff stimulated our learning as well.
Participant number five
The course was very comprehensive and encompassed a great deal of information that is relevant to my job. The class was very interactive and therefore encouraged participation. I liked the module on preparing for an interview as well as how to build rapport during the interview process. The instructors were purpose driven, exhibited the skills they were teaching and very encouraging. There was an obvious commitment by the RTC to ensure that that the program ran smoothly. Great job!
The RTC is committed to its mandate of combating trans-national organized crime, through advanced training and network building. Have you attended an RTC training in the past year? Has the training had a positive effect on your job? We are always happy to hear from our alumni. Do share with us via info@westafricartc.org and we’ll get the conversation going!