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Governor names replacement after Vanterpool ousted

Former Gibraltar Commissioner of Police Richard Ullger, left, and Governor Daniel Pruce

Governor Daniel Pruce has announced plans to appoint former Gibraltar Commissioner of Police Richard Ullger as Interim Acting Commissioner of Police, following his decision to remove Acting Commissioner Jacqueline Vanterpool and return her to her substantive post as Deputy Commissioner.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Governor confirmed that Vanterpool would resume her position as Deputy Commissioner on 18 November, after serving more than a year in the top role. He said the decision was made in accordance with the Virgin Islands Constitution and the Police Act, following consultation with the Police Service Commission (PoSC).

“I wanted to provide an update concerning the leadership of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force. Ms Jacqueline Vanterpool will return to her substantive role as Deputy Commissioner of Police on 18 November, after serving as Acting Commissioner of Police,” Pruce stated.

He noted that Ms Vanterpool had been appointed Acting Commissioner “until further notice” and had served for over a year. “An extended period with an acting leader is challenging for any organisation, not least one such as the RVIPF, which as we know is facing a difficult operating environment,” he added.

Governor Pruce expressed appreciation for Vanterpool’s leadership, describing her tenure as “demanding and often pressurised,” and commended the senior team and wider police force for their support.

The Governor also announced that he had recommended Richard Ullger for the interim role. Ullger is a former Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police, a position he held for five years. He has also served as Acting Commissioner of Police in the Falklands and St Helena and has “extensive senior policing experience in the context of the UK’s Overseas Territories,” the statement said.

Pruce further disclosed that the United Kingdom would cover the cost of the interim appointment, allowing the force to retain three Deputy Commissioners instead of two. “That should allow for three DCPs, rather than two, to remain in post simultaneously and provide additional senior resilience in the force,” he explained.

He reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring public safety, stating, “As I committed upon being sworn in as Governor in January 2024, I am duty-bound by the Constitution to ensure the safety and security of the Virgin Islands. This is a responsibility I take with utmost seriousness.”

The recruitment process for a permanent Commissioner of Police is ongoing.

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27 Comments

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  1. weather says:

    this guy os going to feel hold cold the BVI really is

    Like 8
    Dislike 9
  2. Hmmmn says:

    Wellsah

  3. The great white hope says:

    Lets hope he is not shady

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  4. Freedom fighter says:

    Where is the wanna be Noel Lloyd in all this?…He is missing in Positive Action.

  5. WOWOW says:

    YOUR JUST GOT SHAKE YOUR HEAD.

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  6. Doll says:

    He’s lying. There’s no way this gentleman is going to come here as the Interim COP. Why would he pack up his life for what the Governor wants us to assume is a temporary situation. Mr Ullger has already been given the job. Hence, the reason why the UK will be paying his monthly salary. If the VI Governor was going to pay his salary then HR would require all of his documentation to place on his file. They don’t want the VI taxpayers to know what’s going on, so they claiming he’ll be working temporarily when they already told him the job is yours bloke. We just have to screw with them for awhile so that they can cool off from their local not getting the position.
    Ms Vanterpool and everybody else should have realised the Governor was up to no good when ge responded the way he did to the simple questions asked by the Journalist at the Press Conference, earlier this week. When he responded, he already knew what his next move was. How soon y’all forget his gangsta move with Fahie arrest and COI Report rresults being released. Mehn, all you slow mehson but damn Governor, even Ray Charles could see through you being blind and dead!
    Liar liar pants on fire! Anyways, bloke you have carried out the mandate of your bosses in the UK.

    Like 18
    Dislike 6
  7. Karnage says:

    If it aint white, it aint right!

    Like 9
    Dislike 7
  8. United says:

    All police should call in sick for a week and stand up for JV! Beginning this cr**k’s first day on the job!

    Like 7
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  9. discrimination says:

    What else can this move be called help us understand post emancipation there is no segregation but they want another 007 white male for the job over an opportunity for a female.

    Like 3
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  10. EV says:

    The actions and decisions of the Governer and the UK establishment in regards to this issue is groosly unfair, anti-local advancement and smells highly of racism.

    However, the decision to insert a tarnished individual into the position illustrates clearly the type of people who rule over us.

    Last, it us VI people who are to blame for whatever abuse they throw at us.

    We are too complacent, sheepish and timid, relying on good humanity from a people that knows not humaness.

    We live in the 21st century and there is no reason a white man should sit in the highest office in our land that we did not elect and cannot contest.

    That is equivocally wrong on allhuman and political fronts.

    Thereofre, freedom will never be given in this instance, it must be taken through the international organisations that support decoloniasation.

    Meanwhile, we must support all efforts to regain our freedom from UK imperialism and dictatorship through seeking our independence.

    Our ancestors are beckoning us to.

    Like 3
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  11. Check The Play says:

    New COP funded by the UK has to be a UK appointment. Why is it so critical that UK forces their soldier on us. Could it be a strategic move as the Caribbean becomes a war zone and the dyeing Empire tries to suck the last drop of resources out of the region. Babylon you doomed your bullshit days done.

    Like 3
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  12. police says:

    This man was investigated criminally in Gibraltar for for giving sensitive information to the wife of a defendant, they called for his interdiction and this is what the Governor is giving us, after Jackie did all the bull work this is the disrespect she getting. I SAY SICK OUT.

    Like 4
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  13. ... says:

    Them look like two mice.

  14. Rambo says:

    I hear the new police chief is know in Gibraltar as’ Mr Kick A55′

  15. E. Leonard says:

    Chinese philosophers Zhu Xi and Sun Tzu are credited with the following saying:” Dig a well before you get thirsty.” It means simply that agencies, etc., must take proactive, clear eyed, forward looking etc., actions, steps, etc, to be prepared and ready for actions , events, etc., which can or may have the potential of happening in the present and future, ie avoiding disadvantaging of human capital ( personnel). For example, in the Virgin Islands [British], the 2007 constitution provided the UK-appointed Governor with unilateral power( reserve, assent, special powers, etc. ) to be master of all he/she survey, taking whatever actions he/she desired without any legal means of redressing actions taken. No push back with any weight or power. As an example , just recently with the vacating of the Commissioner of Police(CoP) position, Deputy Commissioner of Police Jacqueline Vanterpool, an indigenous local, and an experienced, highly qualified, eminently prepared and ready candidate, etc., for serving in positions of increasing responsibility within the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force( RVIPF), was appointed by the UK-appointed Governor to Act as Commissioner of Police. The impression in the community was that she doing an exceptional, effective job, etc as ACoP. Then what is being viewed as a controversial move, the UK-appointed governor directed her to vacate the ACoP position, so he could appoint a fellow Briton to act as CoP. Nevertheless, though the action is viewed as controversial and to many perhaps even sexist and racist, and undermining good order and discipline, and good governance, the governor’s action is permitted under the constitution. The power permitted under the constitution put employees such as Ms. Vanterpool in a disadvantaging position, lacking the ability under the constitution to challenge the Governor ‘s action. Instead , they can only depend on the power of persuasion, professionalism, etc, for the governor to do the right thing.

    Moreover, the next constitutional review needs to correct the flashing red light flaws in the constitution, increasing the power of local government with the hiring of employees . .It is of note that the VI has been self-supporting financially since 1979, coming off of UK grant-in-aid. Further, the UK has had full control of the VI since 1672, and the UK representative has always been a white male . Additionally, to date no woman has been appointed as CoP. No Virgin Islander can be appointed Governor of the Virgin Islands. Odd.

  16. Good Luck With Constitutional Review says:

    I doubt anything of substance will be achieved. The present power play speaks volumes and our guys are chickens who only have power to oppress their own people.

  17. Times says:

    The issue is that despite bringing Commissioners and Prison heads from overseas there have not been any substantial changes or improvements in tackling crime. Prisoners are still escaping. Cases still not solved. The acting commissioner Vanterpool appears to have a strong community focus and that approach is necessary to move forward.

  18. Donny says:

    Crime through the roof and iyo still want to keep her there??? Bunch of idiots

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  19. Truth says:

    Governor please tell us about the case with this man with the U.K. National Crime Agency holding an independent investigation against Richard Ullger the same man you are bringing to be commissioner in Tortola, he was sharing info with the criminal family, so imagine if his kind get in trouble here what look like him, u know they are getting away like the ones with Frandy

  20. Anonymous says:

    Barely any crime when I’m there but as soon as I leave place goes crazy. Crime in the BVI is very weird there aren’t any patterns. So most crime seems personal with the few robberies being not personal. The BVI as a whole is a big melting pot of many different cultures and identities. Figuring out how to bring all those communities together for a common goal might be the only solution to improving crime. They say improving crime correlates to community well being and happiness, but I also think greed is highly involved in the increase in crime.

    • @anonymous says:

      ” ..big meting pot it has become,that is true but in that melting pot there us but one item that has outdone consistently all others in the commission area of crimeand imprisonment… the obvious is the failure to simply take steps to eliminate this toxicity.. toxicity which as evidence shows worldwide is impossible to cultivated tame in their origin countries and places where they migrate.
      At some pojnt,it will become necessary for the US to take action against these B VI as it is evident the US and beyond are being adversely affected by the drugs that are conveniently shipped via the adjacent shores of these VI jnto the USVI as a result of the VI failure to asdequately police their borders. That happening will be the end of these VI. A British presence in the top position of policing is absolutely necessary in an effort to minimize/ delay,negotiate the inevitable, if at all possible,

  21. Road Town Rebel says:

    I will never cooperate with this police commissioner or the governor, nor the premier.

  22. Don't understand. says:

    I wanted a change but I was hoping for a caribbean man or woman…”This would have been a good reason to protest, not for Jackie but why not one from the region, one that look like us, one who understands the blending culture of the BVI”

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