Police officers celebrated their accomplishments on Friday afternoon at New Life Baptist Church as they gathered with friends, family and other supporters at a ceremony marking the completion of two recent training sessions.
Seventy-four officers from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force earned certificates in community policing.
Another 11 — along with an officer from the Royal Montserrat Police Service — completed Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training, also known as ALERRT, which covered topics such as active-shooter training.
Community policing
The three-week community-policing workshop was led by Jeneice De Coteau and Sascha Williams-Goddard, of the Trinidad-and-Tobago-based company Officium Training Limited. Both instructors assisted in presenting certificates to the students they had taught.
“We are witnessing a shift where conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution are being embraced — and not to replace policing, but to further equip officers with tools to serve their communities with deeper understanding, fairness and trust,” Ms. De Coteau said during the ceremony. “This is a powerful step forward.”
Acting Police Commissioner Jaqueline Vanterpool said community policing skills are at the core of the RVIPF’s mission.
“Community policing is not a department; it is not a side initiative; it is not a passing project,” she said. “Community policing is our identity. It is how we serve, how we lead and how we build trust among the community.”
The ALERRT workshop was led by two officers from the Royal Anguilla Police Force: Inspector Edson Charles and Sergeant Ralph Johnson. During the ceremony, Captain Kelroy Huggins, the graduate from Montserrat, gave an overview of what he had learned.
“The topics covered were active-shooter concepts, approaching and entering attack sites, hallway movements, entry methods, [improvised explosive devices], and of course medical emergencies,” Mr. Huggins said.
He added that these concepts were covered both “theoretically and practically.”
Other speakers at the Friday ceremony included Governor Daniel Pruce, Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley, and Deputy Governor David Archer Jr. After Curnal Fahie delivered the welcome address and led the opening prayer, Mr. Pruce gave his remarks.
“The role that all members of all the forces represented here today play — whether as community police officers building the trust and confidence of the community, or as armed officers who run towards danger responding to emergency incidents — what both groups do is absolutely pivotal to security across all our islands,” Mr. Pruce said.
Mr. Wheatley then offered his congratulations to the graduates.
“These skills will go a long way in helping to strengthen the effectiveness of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force in their role of law enforcement and public safety,” he said.
In the community
The premier went on to emphasise the importance of community policing.
“Community policing has been hailed as one of the most effective ways to build trust between the police and the public whom they serve,” he said.
“The police cannot prevent and solve crime without the support and partnership of the community.”
Mr. Archer took the podium after the premier, speaking directly to the graduates.
“Each and every one of you when you’re equipped with something that’s greater and something that’s new, there’s an expectation that you’ll deliver more,” he said. “That’s just the way it works. We will call on you differently to ensure you know the names and the families within the communities [you serve].”
British Caribbean News
