An Overview of
the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force
by Mr. Vernon
Elroy Malone, LLB, CPA
Barrister-at-Law
Deputy
Commissioner of Police
We serve with
integrity, courage and knowledge
Introduction
The RVIPF once
again celebrates Police Week, from the 8-14th December1991. This occasion
presents an excellent opportunity for the Police and public to examine and
strengthen this partnership in the important fight against crime. Each side
must live up to its responsibilities if success is to be achieved against this
destructive enemy. Crime threatens the safety of our homes, our businesses, our
children, family and friends, our institutions and hence our very way of life.
In making this
partnership work, the public has a critical and responsible role to play. It
must spare no effort in providing the Police with useful information and be
ever willing to come forward as witnesses. Members of the public should speak
out against criminal wrongdoing and refrain from making irresponsible comments,
particularly in the presence of the young and the gullible. Remember, children
learn quite a lot from what their parents say and do.
On the other hand,
the police must continue to develop a high level of professionalism, including
the promotion of better police/public relations. In order to achieve this
worthwhile goal, the police should endeavor, where necessary, to protect the
identity of informants. This is crucial to success. In addition, each police
officer must demonstrate a high level of integrity both in his personal and
professional life, possess a thorough knowledge of his job, show full respect
for the fundamental human rights of everyone, refrain from using unnecessary
force and always act within the law.
Objects
The objects of the
force have long been established as the protection of life and property, the
prevention and detection of crime and the preservation of the peace. This is no
small task. The attainment of these objects places the police on the
battle-front, face to face with the cutting edge of society. For example, while
you sleep, the police patrol the streets and protect your home and businesses
regardless of weather conditions; while you relax, they patrol BVI waters day
and night often in perilous conditions; when you call to report a house
breaking, a robbery or a fight, it is the police who faces the criminal whether
or not he is armed; they keep your traffic moving day and night; they answer
your domestic calls and respond to them; they look for your missing children,
persons, vehicles and other articles; they resolve conflicts between
individuals and prevent the strong from taking advantage of the weak. It is the
police you call for almost everything. Support them!
To achieve these
objects, the police are invested with a great deal of power and authority
attended by many restrictive safeguards. The specific form of his power and
authority - to search persons on reasonable grounds, to arrest a person who has
committed an arrestable offence, and to use force that is necessary in the
circumstances, is awesome in the degree to which it can be disruptive of
freedoms, invasion of privacy and sudden and direct in its impact upon the
individual. This power and authority must therefore be used in a legal manner
with due sensitivity, common sense and good judgement.
History
The history of the
BVI Police Force stretches back to the end of the 19th Century when the British
Virgin Islands became a member of the Leeward islands Police Force. Also
included were Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis an Anguilla,
with most of the administration being handled at Force Headquarters in Antigua.
Because policemen could be called in if their presence ever proved necessary,
only the barest minimum of staff was stationed in the BVI.
These police
officers were ably assisted in their task of Law Enforcement by a cadre of
loyal and committed local constables. These local constables were based in the
various districts and provided a strong and invaluable service to the
community. They were selected on the basis of character, knowledge and
influence within the particular district. Several of these local constables
received medals for outstanding work. When there were only some two or three
police officers serving the BVI, there were thirty-six local constables
throughout the BVI. I wish to thank local constables for the stalwart service
they rendered during those difficult years.
Because of
constitutional changes in some of the member countries in 1960, the Leeward
Islands Police Force was dissolved and split up, and a new regional
organization, the Antigua, Montserrat and Virgin Islands Police Force was
formed. Although the force possessed a new name little was changed.
Headquarters remained in Antigua and the resident Police Force remained small.
Only since 1967
has the BVI Police been a separate entity. After Antigua gained associated
statehood with Britain, the regional Police Force split up again. leaving the
BVI Police Force on its own.
The Police Force
is commanded by the Commissioner of Police Mr. Barry Rutherford who is
responsible to His Excellency the Governor Mr. Peter Penfold for the command,
direction, superintendence and control of the Force. He is assisted in his
duties by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr. Vernon Malone. Next in line are
two Superintendents - Mr. Reynell Frazer, Officer in Charge of Management, and
Mr. Claudius Duncan, Officer in Charge of Operations. Units under the command of
Superintendent-Management are the clerical staff; and one Chief Inspector Mr.
Jacob George. Officer in Charge of Community Relations, to whom the Inspector
in Charge of Prosecution and his team, plus Inspector/Personnel and Training
report.
Units under the
Superintendent/Operations are Chief Inspector (uniforms) Mr. Aaron Williams, to
whom Virgin Gorda, Road Town, East End and West End police stations report; and
Chief Inspector (specialists) Mr. Wellington Romney, to whom the Marine,
Traffic and C.I.D. branches report.
The BVI Police
Force has its headquarters in Road Town, Tortola, with police stations on
Virgin Gorda and Anegada, headed by Inspector McKenzie Baltimore; at West End
and Jost Van Dyke, headed by Station Sergeant Harrison Paul; and at East End/Long
Look, headed by Station Sergeant Vanceto Pickering. The police are hoping to
have a Marine Police Base at Road Reef Marina within the near future.
Recruitment
The commissioner
of Police is recruited from the United Kingdom, and other ranks recruited from
the Caribbean. The present complement of the force is 124, seventeen of whom
are women. Applicants who wish to join the force should possess a high school
diploma, be between 18-25 years, with a height of 5'8" for men and
5'5" for women.
On submitting an
application, the candidates are interviewed then given a written examination.
The successful candidates are chosen from among those passing the examination.
Subject to medical fitness, those selected are enlisted to the force and are
sent to the Regional Police Training Center, the recruits return to the Force
as full fledged police officers and are placed on three years probation, at the
end of which they must pass their probationers examination before becoming
eligible to be placed on the Permanent and Pensionable Establishment.
To become eligible
for promotion to Sergeant, the Constable must undergo an interview and pass an
examination both based on police work. The same applies to Sergeant and to
Station Sergeant with the interview and examination increasing in difficulty
for the higher rank and based on the duties and responsibilities of each rank
level.
Inspectors, Chief
Inspectors, Assistant Superintendents and Superintendents undergo an extended
interview lasting several days.
Training
In-service
training is on-going with officers receiving valuable training in the many
aspects of police work, such as firearm training, riot training, statement
taking, human relations, the law relating to crime, traffic, evidence, and
general police duties.
Officers of all
rank levels attend overseas courses in a number of subjects including,
management, Criminal Investigations, fingerprint science, traffic law and
procedure, consistent with rank level responsibilities and postings.
Police Library
The Royal Virgin
Islands Force has established its own police library from funds raised through
its own efforts. This library is essential in the effort to deliver quality
service to the public. It is hoped that funds can be made available for
expansion purposes.
Criminal
Investigations Departments (C.I.D.)
The CID, which is
headed by Inspector Rot Stoutt, is responsible for the investigation of all
serious crimes committed within the BVI. This specialist branch is divided into
the Criminal Records Office (CRO), the Crime Prevention Unit, A Scene of Crime
section, and the operational detectives.
The CRO is
responsible for keeping all records, issuing Police Certificates, fingerprints,
and other like services to members of the public, and collecting and collating
intelligence.
Our Scenes of
Crime team deals with fingerprints, photography and forensic science. These
officers search crime scene for clues, dust for finger and palm prints, develop
them in our newly equipped Scenes of Crime lab, identify and classify them, and
prepare them for court presentation. These officers must receive special
training in order to carry out these tasks.
The Scenes of
Crime officers also examine the crime scene for blood stains, fibres, jimmy
marks, foreign liquids or any other relevant material or substance, and these
are sent overseas for analysis.
The functions
carried out by the Scenes of Crime detectives are crucial to the success of the
field detectives whose duties include interviewing suspects, recording
statements, writing reports and researching the law and procedure relevant to
the case under investigation.
Our new Crime
Prevention team gives useful crime prevention tips to the public and hopes to
be full blown in their activities in the near future.
Drugs
This branch is
headed by Assistant Superintendent Clifford Evans. The branch is responsible
for the investigation of all drug offences committed within the BVI.
Prosecutions
The Prosecutions
Department is responsible for prosecuting all summary cases before the Magistrates
Court, conducting preliminary enquiries, juvenile court, and liquor licence
application at court. This department is headed by Inspector Wilson Sylvester.
Marine
Our boat, the St.
Ursula, is manned by two crews, each headed by a Sergeant. This section has
been involved in many drug seizure of small vessels overloaded with illegal
immigrants trying to enter the BVI, rescue missions and the transportation of
Officials. They do a very good job under very difficult circumstances. The
Royal Virgin Islands Police Force takes this opportunity to thank the Rotary
Club of Tortola for donating a refrigerator and stove to this branch. These
items of comfort are now installed on the St. Ursula and are very much
appreciated by the whole police force.
Traffic Department
The Traffick
Department is headed by Inspector Phillip Glasgow. The Traffic police patrol
the roads on Tortola with a police vehicle fitted with a VASCAR computer, which
is capable of checking the speed of any motor vehicle exceeding the speed limit
of 15 mph in a restricted zone, and 30 mph in the countryside. They are also
equipped with a radar gun for this purpose. In addition, they investigate
traffic accidents and report traffic violations. The Traffic Department invites
you to drive safely during the Christmas season and beyond. Follow these
traffic limits:
a) Always keep
your vehicle well-maintained and road worthy
b) Always keep
well to the left hand side of the road
c) Don't overtake
on a corner.
d) Always give and
obey traffic signals.
Beat and Patrol
There are four
Beat & Patrol shifts at Police Headquarters, each headed by a Sergeant.
These officers patrol Road Town and its environs on foot and by vehicle,
twenty-four hours a day, with each officer being responsible for whatever
happens on his beat. The beat officer checks business places, keep an eye out
for suspicious characters and have a duty to report matters requiring further
attention back to Police Headquarters. All police vehicles and officers on
patrol are equipped with radios and are in constant touch with all police
stations, police vehicles and other Beat & Patrol officers.
Police Aircraft
The Royal Virgin
Islands Police Force has obtained its own aircraft earlier this year and this
aircraft has been most instrumental in the fight against drug trafficking in
the BVI. This section is headed by Lieutenant Garth Gray.
Police Welfare
Association
These elected
officers are responsible for welfare matters, touching the interest of members
of the force. They operate a canteen at Police Headquarters where refreshments
are served and where games are played by police officers and invited guests.
Police officers take part in a number of sporting activities including darts,
football, cricket, basketball and soccer.
Miscellaneous
Services
These services
include our garage, workshop, maintenance and cleaning departments, without
which we cannot operate efficiently.
Policing issues
that merit consideration
Most police forces
have stubbornly adhered to provisions governing recruitment and promotion that
appear to have the opposite effect to their stated goals. For example, everyone
must joint the force as a constable and work his way up the ranks. This policy
discourages highly qualified people from entering the police service with the
result that the police field has failed to obtain anything approaching its
proper share of intelligence, imaginative and educated individuals. To correct
this problem, some form of direct entry to the force should be given serious consideration.
In addition, the many eligible serving members of the force should be given the
opportunity to apply for scholarships to further their education.
In order to
correct and improve the image of policing, a study-ethic must be firmly
associated with police work. This will help to abolish permanently the idea
that is all too prevalent in our society, that if one does not want to take the
trouble to become something worthwhile, he can always become a policeman. Even
as it is, that is no longer true in the BVI.
It is necessary to
emphasize that the recognition of the full magnitude and complexity of police
work and the many conflicts inherent in it, demand a wide and substantial
academic preparation on the part of the senior officers. These senior officers
are much more important figures in the overall structure of Government than is
commonly recognized and are constantly called upon to formulate and administer
policies that require the balancing of fundamental and often conflicting
values. These decisions directly affect the quality of life in the community,
hence the need for continuing education.
The cost of not
having made adequate provisions to fill the upper ranks are plainly apparent
throughout the whole Caribbean. The internal procedures of these police forces
have become stagnant, cumbersome and inefficient and they seem incapable of
responding innovatively to new demands and new requirements. Because of these
and other problems that have accrued and grown more complicated for lack of
adequate attention, senior officers must spend much of their time defending the
force from attack. Their ability to do so has become a valued skill in its own
right. But behind this valued skill, untouched by the administration, one can
usually find all the complicated problems common to policing, not only
festering from lack of attention, but aggravated by the negative style that a
defensive senior officer tends to employ. These officers become expert at
covering up mistakes and suppressing evidence of wrong doing. The most vigorous
discipline tend to be directed against those whose actions subject the force to
criticism from outside. Well developed senior officers should be open, willing
to listen, willing to question, willing to experiment, a possess the knowledge,
experience and commitment to provide better leadership and lasting solutions to
problems.
Conclusion
The Royal Virgin
Islands Police Force extends sincere greetings to all during the Christmas
Season, and hopes for a much improved working relationship with members of the
public. Help us to serve you with integrity, courage and knowledge.
