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Confidence in RVIPF increasingly eroded since 2020 drug bust

Following the implication of several serving and former police officers in the territory’s largest drug bust in 2020, some commentators have suggested that the reputation of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) has been left in tatters.

This has been further compounded by a number of recent missteps, which the commentators suggested have painted the RVIPF in a less-than-stellar light.

“We talked about crime, but if we look at it, the biggest drug bust in the territory was [allegedly] perpetrated by police officers,” talk show host Elvin Grant argued recently.

He added: “The container at East End that was [discovered] had hundreds of kilos of cocaine and a number of officers were indicted for that. What’s happened to that case?”

Grant further posited that if officials want the public to start having confidence in the police, then the public has to see that justice is being done and this must start in the police force.

According to Grant, the emergence of a leaked email from Police Commissioner Mark Collins, suggesting subordinates should remove evidence in an internal matter, and a leaked promotional video last year where Collins claimed that the BVI was mired in “muck and bullets” were indicative of a grave situation.

“If you add this [email] to the video, to the drug bust, it’s not an appearance anymore,” Grant argued. “It’s actually hard data floating around in the community that there is corruption within the police [force]”

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32 Comments

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  1. We need a new DPP says:

    One of the problems is that the RVIPF know that the advice that they receive from the DPP, both during the investigation and during any subsequent criminal proceedings, is unreliable and very often completely wrong.
    The police are always the fall guys when a criminal case collapses, but typically the fault rests with the DPP – who, as she frequently reminds us, is solely responsible for prosecutions in the High Court and is answerable to nobody.
    It is time to change the DPP.

    Like 23
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  2. Bottom line we dont trust them says:

    Now mek it wuss

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  3. Yes says:

    Police tipping off criminals while en route to a bust. Police boyfriend trafficking. Police extorting people. Police and ex police storing hundreds of kilos. Police committing tax fraud. Police with big mansions up Spooners on very small salaries with no other apparent source of income. Police accidents covered up. Police lying about video portraying BVI in a nasty way. Police lying about email to destroy evidence. Police committing rape and then trying to bribe the family. Police stealing from the evidence room. Police helping known killers to destroy evidence against them.

    But the Governor wants to give these Police criminals more power? Wants to allow these police to trample on civilian rights? Why is it still being called a “Force”? Why not Department? Why not RVI Law Enforcement Agency? Why not send a different message than Force? You can’t police your own department but you want to put martial law and create a police state for ordinary citizens?

    Like 32
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  4. @ we need a new DPP says:

    Not only change the DPP but also those under her, starting with the one running the case in the ….. court

    Like 9
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  5. My 2 cents says:

    Confidence in the police went down when Mark Collins came here. That first lie to the public was the first blow. All the other lies compounded it. When you have a commissioner that nobody can believe you have a problem. A fish spoils from its head. Now, he is ordering officers to destroy evidence in a potential case. But he gets away because he is buddies with the governor. For all we know they may be cousins.

    Like 15
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  6. UK says:

    Well things can only go down hill for the RVIPF, when you look at the recent promotion process, yes they are hiding it from the public, when you look at these cartoons who was promoted to chief inspector, you really have to asked yourself a question, there is also a Jamaican ring that’s being built in the force, it need to be dismantled before it gets any further, where are our deputy commissioners am not hearing them, are they hiding???, I was reliably informed that this white uk woman changed the promotion process pass mark from 60% to 70%, the uk pass mark for promotion process is 55%, can you believe that, what is her intention, we are in deep doodoo.

    Like 13
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  7. @ MY 2 CENTS & UK says:

    Here another * SENCE * why bfomt U stay on your yello site U doing cyhe same bloggings on this site on as you do on your own site / EVERYTHING, is the UK this / the UK that , WE BELIEVE YOUR WIG HAS TURNED YOUR BRAINS INTO ( DOODO) so U got that part right

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  8. Truths says:

    Well said Elvin Grant!!

  9. @New DPP says:

    So the DPP has them running cocaine as well? Typical nonsense as a push to bring a UK DPP who will get a pass just like the Commissioner and Prison Head are getting. Same s**t, different day!

  10. O brother says:

    Wow you have all this info on police and never made a formal report get the (F)out of here drink water and mind yo business

    Like 1
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  11. @UK says:

    What do they expect from unvetted applicants from JA. Look at the way some Police operates in JA. Those.same nasty,derogatory, and criminal habits are being portrayed in the Police Force.

  12. Resident says:

    I think there is a concerted effort to distract attention from the CoI by trying to undermine the Police and especially the Commissioner, as they are they report in major part to the Governor.

    It’s a campaign of “Whataboutery” by the BVI elites whose continued control is undermined by the light shone by the CoI.

    Yes there is police corruption and it needs sorting out, but the leaked video and the leaked email are total red herrings.

    The video was never used and was factually accurate, in case you hadn’t noticed. Fish Bay shootings anyone?

    As for the leaked email, so far as I can see from the media, there was no criminal investigation, nor even a disciplinary investigation when the email was written and so there is no actual evidence in the technical sense. There is nothing before either a court or a disciplinary tribunal as I understand it. The Commissioner must have a significant degree of discretion as to how he manages/leads the officers under his command.

    Like 14
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  13. my2cents says:

    It seems the governor’s portfolio is a mess

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  14. Straight at u Syman says:

    It is truly a shame that an ex officer with a dismissal on his record for drugs and stealing evidence is now a suit wearing representative for a business that really is a laundromat. In any other country extradition would have occured. And even though he is off the force he remains close with current members of the force to influence actions. Sad but true, and they wonder why there is no confidence.

    Like 10
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  15. Hmm says:

    but the DPP keeps telling us that she is in charge – she sends the junior lawyers from her dept because she is now frit to be in court except for minor bail hearings etc – but she makes the decisions.

  16. Disingenuous says:

    nobody wants a UK DPP – juries don’t want to see UK prosecutors. What we want is somebody with better legal skills and some judgment.

    Like 10
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  17. @Resident says:

    So you are essentially saying because there are some local bad apples we should just ignore the ones that are imported? Let’s be honest with ourselves, if a local was overseeing the RVIPF with all the bullshit happening in the last 2yrs they would’ve been labelled as corrupt, incompetent and asked to resign. This has nothing to do with where anyone is from, just look at his record. The fact is there are two different measurements of performance/character for the UK persons vs the local ones and anyone with an unbiased view can see that clearly. There’s often this undertone that locals are corrupt but the UK guys that come here are clean as a whistle.

  18. Malcom X says:

    Clive and London duty cop using your Bragg to frame people and looking sex from b**ch

  19. @yes says:

    Lowrack is west bank lips stick on he lips looking like a shiny head b**ch

  20. ...... says:

    Duerant i know u give the gun man the time frame to come shot me u h live in them apartment.

  21. Scottland yard says:

    Well it look like the His Royal Virgin Island Police Force working with the Sinaloa cartel. From the top down.

  22. Shake up says:

    The entire police department is corrupt…. That’s expected when the majority of them are from other Caribbean Islands and don’t give a s**t about the BVI or its people, just what they can get and benefit from here. They need to shake up the entire force and do background check of them

  23. Yea says:

    Clive and them right foot and that scar on he neck look like someone was going chop off he head back home GT

  24. More says:

    local young men need to join the force. The institution must do more to inspire, recruit and gin local participation in law enforcement.

    There are to many. capable young men who can contribute and benefit from such a career.

    But before that can occur, they must get rid of the anti-police mentality that is prevalent amongso many, which in turn influence others.

    There is a decent salary and benefitsthere that can locals should be seeking to advantage.

  25. We need a cleanse says:

    Top of the mountain to the valley.

  26. @ bvinews says:

    bvi news please get an updated photo of a police officer instead of that sloppy picture of Si@@@@. His collar is not proper and he looks upkept. Change that photo man come on.

  27. Rrr says:

    Wel one thing can say any body can do a promotion exam with even working rank and get ptomated through a process that jas no transperancy thats all i have to say. An ivestigation in reatio. To wetjer they a fair in the police needs pit in place asap. Else im sorry for the bvi community.

  28. T says:

    For local you g men to join they need to give a raise in police salary. No locals are going to work for that chump change when the streets have more money in it. Pay them a salary that can detour the civil servants from Curruptions. National security only fucus on the outside men get well paid but the locals are left behind. Now look at the stae we are in. Blame the government for accentu g such infairness. Wish uk would take over this currpt place

    Like 1
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  29. Trrr says:

    For local you g men to join they need to give a raise in police salary. No locals are going to work for that chump change when the streets have more money in it. Pay them a salary that can detour the civil servants from Curruptions. National security only fucus on the outside men get well paid but the locals are left behind. Now look at the stae we are in. Blame the government for accentu g such infairness. Wish uk would take over this currpt place

    Like 1
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  30. Gojo Sensei @Yes says:

    (@ Yes Comment)

    If officers are tipping off criminals before a bust

    then why has there been so many drug/firearms bust recently? (since Collins came in)

    Most of the negative things you listed happened before Collins came in G.

    Girl math i guess

  31. @True says:

    True.
    Why not a formal complaint?
    If these mentioned allegations
    are facts and they are not reported then you are no less guilty than the other uniformed perpetrators.
    How did we get here from just “yesterday” when there was,literally no
    crime? Well..?.
    A deliberate effort to “build up”
    BVI with a dominant population group with the worse of what the Northern hemisphere offered ,in exchange for votes and monetary gain.

  32. It's Bad says:

    Police and DPP are a crying shame. Arrest thr passenger on the boat that had right of way in our bwoy Frandi’s death but let captain of his boat stay clean and free. Another lost case for the less DPP.

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