Do the police have the capacity to handle crime?
Does the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) have the capacity to curb the crime and violence that is on the rise in the community?
That’s the question that one journalist asked members of the Opposition who this week called for the government to take a series of actions to address this growing problem.
“Most of you would have addressed concerns about the escalating instances of crime in the territory. Do you subscribe to the notion that these crimes are beyond the current capacity of the RVIPF?” the journalist asked.
Territorial At-Large Representative Stacy ‘Budda’ Mather volunteered to answer the question, stating that the government has the resources and has been allocated millions in funding to fight crime.
“I think the RVIPF has resources, they have over 300 hundred officers. As I said before, their approach needs to be different,” Mather stated.
But the journalist stated that Mather didn’t answer the question: “I didn’t ask about resources, I’m asking if it’s beyond their capacity?”
Mather refused to answer that question directly. Instead, he said he cannot speak to the ability of the law enforcers, adding that it would be more appropriate for the Governor and Police Commissioner to answer that question.
“I would have to defer that question to the Governor and Commissioner of Police because I’m not aware of their capacity in terms of their ability to handle it. From my perspective, I can look at the resources they have received in comparison to the financial resources other government departments, agencies and ministries have received,” Mather explained.
Opposition leader Ronnie Skelton then gave his opinion, saying it is up to the Governor to redirect resources and request additional resources based on the situation the territory is facing.
“I don’t think it is beyond the capacity of the RVIPF. I think every now and then, you need to beef up your capacity to deal with the thing that is bothering you. If the Governor needs resources to address the infection of crime, I think it’s within his responsibility to go and seek the resources to do it,” Skelton explained.
In the meantime, D2 Representative Melvin Turnbull put the main responsibility on the Premier. He said it is up to the Premier to demand the results the territory needs. But Turnbull said the demand should be accompanied by resources the portfolio leaders need to fight crime.
“That’s where leadership comes in, I remember from Dr Orlando Smith’s time and Ralph T. O’Neal’s time — if you want a certain standard upheld in your country, you have to demand it from those who are responsible. There needs to be a louder voice from the Premier and the government stating this is what we need and we need it curtailed,” Turnbull said.
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No they don’t they have alot of island people who just in the force for the us dollars,they don’t give a shit about the job…some even get paid to get info. On what’s going on in the force! Bring some serious guys from England please and you see the difference!! Even tho they don’t like us black people! They will do there job! A d I rather that! 100%
i been saying this, bring in some UK FORCES! I dont want hear of they corrupt too and cant manage their own place and yada yada! bring some new faces to do their job in a strange place! too much friend friend business happening and money exchange.
@Hmm,…But the locals were the ones who rejected the ‘dirty job’ which you now call the dollar job. The point is, locals don’t have the gut to enforce the law when offenders are family members and so, they chickened out. A significant proportion of law enforcement officers hail from the Islands. Should this be grounds for treating them as inferior? This question arises particularly when examining the current payroll structure, which appears very inadequate considering the risks these officers undertake in their line of duty. The lack of proper office facilities only adds to the challenges they face. By elevating the status of law enforcement careers, we can attract and recruit top talents dedicated to upholding law and order in our communities.
Following the recent robbery incident, there was a public outcry demanding increased police presence, with officers conducting foot patrols equipped with basic tools like pens and pads to identify or discourage criminals armed with high-caliber weapons. The question arises: are they equipped to handle such situations effectively? By offering competitive salaries comparable to those in the USA or Britain, and ensuring that a significant portion of the police force consists of local recruits, we can empower them to tackle crime more effectively. Additionally, providing them with modern weaponry to match those of criminals is essential. For God’s sake get rid of those toxic molds. Furthermore, legislative changes are necessary to impose stricter penalties that serve as deterrents for criminals. Until a robust witness protection or relocation program is established, it is unsafe to encourage the public to provide information on crimes.
I agree with what you are saying, but the UK does not hate black people.
It is a horrific game being played on these VI and its people. Importing and installing the criminal elements from the notorious Islands in the Northern hemisphere is a crime in and of itself.
Those islands have been unable to curtail their crimes and criminals for decades soooo why on Earth are these elements oyster the dominant immigrant group on this not too long ago piece of earthly heaven. Because this set up assists in the illegal drug by diversion of our attention and in addition many of them are the active in the proliferation,,They
their spawns set up generational crime enterprise with the direct and indirect assist and participation of some elected members.There is one and only one despicable
immigrant group in these VI that is a societal cancer out of hundreds of various residing Nationalities. An easy obvious elementary fix. Theur behavior character is intrinsic to their being. No possibility of change. Change the demographic. Currently there is need for a third prison to house the enemies of our society. What life as Independent can happen when we cannot afford to build cages for the germs or salaries for police and policing.. The games must stop.Eradicate,depose,dispose,abort,deport and stop p,aykng this selfish losing game with our homeland.
Hmm considering the frequent large drug bust we’ve been getting shows that theres some improvements
Plus the bvi is still considered relatively safe compared to other Caribbean islands.
You’ll be surprised chk their local news or ask an expat
A most crucial factor when considering Independence.
The answer is a resounding NO and considering the demographic that has been chosen to ” build” these VI,police policing prisons will be the biggest want and the biggest necessity for an exercise in futility.
This haven, once golden dust of the Caribbean has become a puddle of filth,literally and by design deliberately.
Bigger rot or small rot is rot.
The daily operations and management of the police rest squarely on police managers. Not the Governor. Not the Premier. And Spell O’Neal correctly.
Parts of the Caribbean are hotbeds for ISIS.
The VI police force is comprised of largely of a of imported Police from thise Islands in addition to our new and revised population
Note today’s top Internatiobal news.
Our borders are literally open and a gateway to US and thereby th World….good snuff sweep to Russia and all countries.
A bomb could stop the flow in a nano second,
An allegation about us harboring ISIS members and Wanted members will put full stop on our economy.
Well first thing, you have one of the weakest crime chief in the history of the rvipf, to add salt to injury the weak crime chief solely dependent on an inexperience CI cannot handle his surprise position, then we have a professor in charge of CID who is too bright for that position, LORD LOOK TROUBLE FOR WE. HELP HELP HELP.
I think it is important to tell the truth. The locals who are in our Police Force are harassed and bullied by the outsiders. This has to happen in a country where it is okay for your police force to be 95 percent outsiders. Where else does that happen? Nowhere in the Caribbean can a BVIslander go and join their Police Force. They will tell you to go home. Until we have national pride and get up off our duffs and do the right thing, we will get nowhere.
Years ago when we didn’t have computers and cameras to assist us, crimes were solved. How, the police officers were friendly. They left the damn police station and mingled with us. We talked with them just like we talk with anyone who hangs out with us as they were so friendly we forgot they were police officers. And we trusted them as they were friendly. While that may not be as easy now, unfortunately, police officers are concentrating on pay just like every other expatriate that visits our shores for a better life. Policing, however, is a job that you have to want to do and most of them seems not to have the will or are not interested in solving crimes in this country. So we have cameras and other tactics, but they are not being employed.
If you sit at the Station and wait for someone to call you to help you to solve crimes, then we are in trouble. Especially since 911 calls take a day to be chased down as most of these officers don’t know us, much less where we lay our heads, or so they say or act. If the interest and the will is not there, well it will show and we can see it as clear as the sun that will rise tomorrow morning by God’s mercy and grace.
The local pouplation are not stepping up to the plate . See how many young people want to join .
The global demographic of the BVI will change like any other country . It is already that way so what are the solutions:
Keep bashing each other – Really!
Marry cousins- Really !
Have bigger families with our own-Really
Dont intermarry- Really
Let us strike a balance of justice
Do right by ever one
Stop pushing division
Treat each other with respect
Give of your best
Dont call down others
Stop cronyism
Stop nepotism
Work for the good of the country we all benifit good or bad . Do good
Practice Christ like principle -Embrace all races
Love is stronger than hate
The BVI dynamics have changed . There is no going back . Too late for this
is the british virgin islands working with the uk military; the royal navy and the royal air force to protect the british virgin islands?
We all hear about BVIslanders who have applied to the Police Force and cannot get in. We have also heard about the incessant harassment meted out to the few locals who are there. One thing BVIslanders do more than anything is perhaps talk in our homes and amongst each other but we turn away no one. We show more love than our visitors, in fact, to the point that they call us stupid daily for allowing them to get away with all that they do. We see. We know, but we do nothing. So don’t tell us to love and be kind. Those visiting our shores should be humble and kind and show love as well and stop destroying a country that they met humble and that has proven to bring them up quite a few notches in life. This aggressive daily grind to get mines well sometimes it’s not a good look. God is love. If we were not kind and turn the other cheek frankly some of you won’t be here.
In my opinion it doesn’t matter where the officers are from. They should be COMPETENT to carry out proper investigations and conduct proper interviews with those arrested for crimes. It’s totally beyond me to hear of arrests, police have persons assisting them in their investigations. After a few days NOTHING is heard because police had to let go without charge.
Now, I totally understand that there are times when you do have to let go without charge because if the evidence is not there, it’s simply not there. But every time? Something is off and I think it’s lack of competency in policing on the whole.