17 new police recruits sworn in, nearly half are locals
Photo provided
Seventeen new recruits have been sworn into the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) and nearly half of the batch are BVIslanders.
The other countries represented are St Vincent, Jamaica, Guyana, St Lucia and Dominica.
A media release from the RVIPF said, for the first time, the new female recruits outnumber the males in a nine-to-eight ratio.
The RVIPF also said this new batch of officers were enlisted to fill the vacancies that existed in the department. Their swearing-in also represents the government’s pledge to increase the size of the force by 15 every year for three years.
“The qualification process is not easy, but we wanted the best. Therefore, we congratulate you,” Police Commissioner told the new officers at their swearing-in ceremony on Friday.
“You will need to dig deep and be resourceful in order to progress successfully through the next six months, but I speak from personal experience when I say it is worth it. I can think of no better way to serve this territory and its people than by being a police officer,” he said.
The new law enforcers are now slated to undergo a six-month police training programme starting on January 3.
The RVIPF said the training will include early-morning physical exercise, lectures, a full day of instruction, and late-night studies in preparation for assignments the following day.
The recruits will occupy the barracks at the Road Town Police Station during the course of their training. Formerly, recruits were sent away to the Regional Police Training School in Barbados for basic training.
The RVIPF has said this will be the third cohort of officers to receive their initial training within the territory.
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News people
Why was it important to state that nearly half are From BVI
They are all recruits no matter where they from
Get your act together
More waste of time!
A Tortolian could never be considered for a police officer job in any of the other caribbean island! Therefore it should be a law against foreingers having positions as law inforcement officers unless they are born British Virgin Islanders, but the so-called leaders are really as dump and stupid as rocks.
… and while you are learning to spell, get some common sense.
Would this include those with BVI parents but born in USA and foreigners born in the BVI?
You are 100% correct! Fill the streets with 3 local cops. That will get the job done.
While we are stating almost half employed in those new police positions – We cannot forget that the island just experienced July Mud Slides, Irma and Maria. I feel that more than HALF of those appointment should have been given to inland BVISLANDERS. The report should state the true count – What is your meaning of half – Please given a total to show. Let it be know – This will help when election time comes around we know who to vote for those who put the BVISLANDERS who need those employments to build up their sense of pride for their home land.
I am very concerned because most of those other Caribbean islands did not experience what the BVI went through and STILL ARE CONFRONTED WITH DAILY CHALLENGES with daily life. Let then know and see that their LIVES MATTER AND COUNT in making their lives better.
If there are 17 open police job placements put not just half(?-what is half what amount). AT LEAST 12 OF THOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT JOBS SHOULD HAVE GONE TO BVISLANDERS AND OUT OF 1.TORTOLA, VIRGIN GORDA, ANEGADA AND JOSFE VAN DYKE then other five positions left distribute and open to the other Caribbean Islands. How many jobs do those islands open to the BVISLANDERS when there are vacancies.
REMEMBER WHO VOTES FOR YOU AT HOME IN THE BVI – SO PLEASE PUT BVI FIRST – JOBS FOR BVISLANDERS FIRST WHEN PLACING IN SUCH IMPORTANT POSITIONS AT HOME.
BVI STRONG – STRONGER
You should first find out how many BVi had applied.
the bvi forms in the inspectors desk… school children say d—-y dont want nooooo bvi people on the force.. they talk to much… wonder wa he have to hide….
People like you is what is wrong with the BVI… it matters not who votes and who is voted for. As long as people with your thought process exists we will NEVER move forward, we will NEVER recover. How many of YOUR family members applied? Did YOU apply? As long as people like YOU exist nothing will ever change. The politicians are not the the problem…the people are. This is why the majority of the youths are saying they are not voting, they say it makes no sense
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT BV ISLANDERS SIMPLY DO NOT APPLY FOR THE VACCANT POSITIONS IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE FORCE, AND AS A RESULT THEY HAVE TO EMPLOY PEOPLE FROM OTHER CARIBBEAN COUNTIES. I AM HONESTLY VERY THANKFUL THAT EXPATS ARE WILLING TO SERVE AND PROTECT OUR COUNTRY ESPECIALLY IF IT MAY BE A SITUATION WERE LOCALS JUST DONT WANT TOO. BUT FOR THOSE LOCALS THAT ARE APPLYING THANK YOU!
THANKS EXPATS AND LOCALS
BVI STRONG
They taken over.
All this said and no mention of the size of the police force. Proper investigative reporting would have inform about the make up of the force, its effectiveness in combating crime and whether comparatively it has the right complement of staff to keep the community safe. For example they are constantly recruiting officers while increasing spending on such things as surveillance cameras throughout the territory. So are they increasing the number of police to sit down and watch cameras 24/7? What is the strategy here?
I realize that there is always an issue when outsiders are employed when the truth is the qualified ones aren’t interested and those interested are qualified
Possibly teach them that there are other duties that they will be expected to perform that do not involve air conditioning? And a little proactive patrolling would be nice. Shame the CGB officers can’t see what goes on right under their noses.
A Tortolian could never be considered for a police officer job in any of the other caribbean island! Therefore it should be a law against foreingers having positions as law inforcement officers unless they are born British Virgin Islanders, but the so-called leaders are really as dump and stupid as rocks.
Because your parents probably overstay their work permit! So I guess that the Politician are not people too!
Great news for the country!
And a handful are ” We’ers”!!
This is just the beginning and I’m hoping more of our people will apply and qualify themselves for these positions.
Now,don’t go hating on the others in the positions. They’re only trying to better their lives in this country and we should thank them for filling such roles.
Again, great news for We’ers!!!
It matters not who apply for the job as long as the best is employed.
Would this include those with BVI parents but born in USA and foreigners born in the BVI?