In an initiative to modernize law enforcement, the government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced an annual scholarship program that will enable 50 police officers to pursue degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Criminology at The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus (The UWI FIC).
The program, divulged during a recent post-cabinet press briefing, aims to equip the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda with cutting-edge technological skills to combat crime more effectively.
“Officers do not yet have bachelor’s degrees. So, if you graduate 50 officers with bachelor’s degrees, that in itself would be quite a benchmark,” said Cabinet Spokesperson Lionel Hurst.
The partnership between the government and The UWI FIC represents significant steps toward further education for police officers of all ranks and opportunities to increase their skills.
“What the cabinet decided yesterday is that it will pursue Artificial Intelligence in crime-fighting,” Hurst explained. “And to do so effectively, they’ve turned to the University of the West Indies, where we know that the ability to teach the subject matter now exists and will be expanded.
“We intend, of course, that every police officer, no matter the rank, has the necessary tools in the kit to pursue crime fighting, utilizing this particular tool.
“This is very, very useful, as you know, and therefore merely graduating 50 police officers with Bachelor of Science degrees each year, or certainly the first within the next three or four years, would be quite an achievement for the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, and for the people of Antigua and Barbuda also,” Hurst stated.
The scholarship program is expected to prioritize newer recruits, equipping them from the onset with the technological skill.
“The newest recruits will very likely be among the first 50 to proceed to conclude their studies on AI,” Hurst said.
The initiative will be part of the government’s strategy to integrate AI solutions across multiple sectors of governance and will include addressing challenges in climate change adaptation and public health management.
The announcement coincides with preparations for the Second Annual Conference on Artificial Intelligence, scheduled to take place just before the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly in late June 2025.
