PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten (20 April 2022) – Fourteen members of the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM ​are now equipped with the skills to identify and screen cases suitable for mediation. They are now actively involved in the ongoing “Domestic Violence and Mediation Project, a restorative justice initiative, launched by Stichting Justitiële Inrichtingen St. Maarten (SJIS) and the Prosecutor’s Office OM Sint Maarten. 

The police personnel from various departments were asked to share their views on the use of mediation in their work in the recent workshop. This was followed up with the value and application of mediation in criminal cases by mediator Sanne Bartels, Prosecutor Sandra Withfield and fellow KPSM officer​s Patsy Richardson and Desra Phillip. The workshop facilitators have been involved with this project from its pilot phase in 2021. 

A physical assault case study was presented to the participants as part of the workshop. They were given the various roles in the scenario to act out as part of skills strengthening. The avenue allowed the participants to see and tackle issues from several points of views and angles. 

More groups

In the coming months, a three-day mediation  skills training will be held for more members of the justice – and social chain, including police officers. This training will go beyond the topics and skills covered in the workshop. In addition, the first batch of mediators trained in 2021 will undergo an in-depth  training. 

The mediation skills training falls under the Domestic Violence and Mediation Project financed through the Resources for Community Resilience R4CR funding programme, which was implemented by VNG International (the International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities VNG) and funded by the St. Maarten Recovery and Resilience Trust Fund to improve the capacity of St. Maarten’s civil society organizations and to support reconstruction and resilience at the community level.