Fulfilling the mission of the Mauritius Police Force (MPF) to protect the public often requires officers to stay calm and focused even amid the most stressful of circumstances.
To help with this, the MPF recently worked with volunteers at The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) to offer the Peace Education Program (PEP) to a group of 28 officers. Based on the international talks of renowned peace advocate Prem Rawat, the program’s innovative multimedia workshops are designed to help participants develop a sense of inner strength, clarity and peace.
Over the course of the 10 interactive sessions, officers discovered that cultivating a sense of personal peace helped greatly with their efforts to preserve the public peace.
“In this faltering world, the workshops helped me understand who I am, why I am here, and what I can do to contribute to help our public with their problems and anxieties,” said Sergeant Boodnah. “When officers are distressed, they won’t perform as well. The sessions made us feel our inner strength and hope. Our heart is our strength.”
Sergeant Auckburally-Serally added, “The program amazed me. As an individual it helped me realize my importance, and it impacted my work as a police officer. I’m in a better position now to manage conflicts.”
And Sergeant Seetul-Greedharee reported that, “The program made me more confident in myself. It gave me a sense of inner strength.”
The experience of the officers at the MPF headquarters in Port Louis mirrors that of other PEP participants across the globe. The course has been offered in 74 countries and has benefited a diverse range of groups, from other law enforcement officials to business leaders, scholars and inmates.
The program has been authorized at all correctional facilities in South Africa and Ghana, and more than 100 officials from the Mauritius Prison Service have already completed the course.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police is in the process of approving more PEP workshops, taking to heart the recommendations of the officers who initially participated.
“I think all officers would benefit from these workshops because they will help them understand themselves and overcome some of the problems they come across on the job,” said Constable Pather.
