From a festival weekend with no uniformed presence to shuttered school patrols and crippled traffic enforcement, an unprecedented wave of police absences has rattled the St. Thomas-St. John District—prompting the government to sue the Police Benevolent Association and spark a legal firestorm over what it calls an illegal job action.
What began as a surge of “sick” calls Sunday, June 15, during the peak of the annual Frenchtown Village festivities, escalated into a full-blown crisis. By Monday, VIPD Commissioner Mario Brooks was calling the absences a de facto strike, warning in court documents that the department’s ability to maintain law and order had been severely compromised.
“Since the officers of the PBA striked, the VIPD is forced to require police supervisors and peace officers in other agencies to assist in covering shifts to prevent complete catastrophe,” Brooks stated in a sworn affidavit filed with the Superior Court Monday.
The Government of the Virgin Islands responded swiftly. On Tuesday, it filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) and all participating officers, accusing them of engaging in an illegal work stoppage in violation of both local law and their collective bargaining agreement.
The Virgin Islands Department of Justice, in a press release issued Tuesday, reinforced the seriousness of the situation. “VIPD Officers are classified as Class 3 First Responders and are prohibited by law from engaging in any form of strike, regardless of duration,” the release said. “The current job action is viewed as a threat to public safety and is deemed unacceptable.” The Department added that it was confident the court would act swiftly to end the work stoppage and “ensure adequate staffing to protect the public on every shift.”
The strike—or coordinated “sick-out,” as it has been framed—coincided with one of the busiest weekends in the district. Brooks outlined the fallout in court documents:
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On Sunday, only three officers were assigned to the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift on St. Thomas—all of whom called out sick.
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Six officers in both the Criminal Investigations and Special Operations bureaus also called out.
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Two officers from the downtown patrol assignment, reassigned to the Frenchtown Village, also called in sick.
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On St. John, just one of five scheduled officers reported for duty.
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On Monday, all seven school security officers failed to show.
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All five officers in the Traffic Investigations Bureau called in sick.
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The department, already down 11 officers on National Guard training, was left scrambling.
With resources stretched dangerously thin, festival events had no visible law enforcement presence—only supervisors remained on-site. That left eventgoers, vendors, and residents vulnerable at a time when public visibility was needed most, according to the complaint. The absence of patrols, school security, and traffic enforcement posed a broader risk across the island.
“This strike also financially impacts VIPD,” Brooks wrote, “in that the agency will have to pay overtime at a higher rate for the supervisors to take the shift. Having supervisors work double shifts impacts the health and safety of the supervisor and public since it may affect the alertness of the supervisors.”
The government’s complaint makes clear: the sudden, widespread absences are not seen as spontaneous or coincidental. They are described as a “concerted action” aimed at forcing a change in pay or working conditions, and, as such, fall under the legal definition of a strike under 24 V.I.C. § 362(o).
According to the complaint and supporting filings, a strike includes the “willful absenting” of employees from duty to influence compensation or conditions—a charge echoed repeatedly by government lawyers in the motion for injunctive relief.
“The continued failure of police officers to report to work has resulted, and will continue to result, in inadequate coverage to the public regarding public safety emergencies, the protection of persons and property from physical harm, and the enforcement and regulation of vehicle traffic,” the memorandum states.
VIPD is seeking a mandatory court order under 24 V.I.C. § 375(c)—a statute requiring immediate injunctive relief when Class III employees, such as law enforcement, engage in strikes. According to the law, these employees are prohibited from striking “for any reason,” and once a public employer shows proof of a strike, the court must issue an injunction.
In this case, that proof includes the near-total absence of officers from multiple divisions and what the government calls confirmation from the PBA itself.
In a letter sent to union members Sunday, PBA President Joel Browne Connors acknowledged that while no formal agreement had been reached with the governor or VIPD leadership, discussions had taken place. He said a meeting was scheduled for Monday but that the administration insisted officers return to duty without promise of any additional compensation.
“The administration is requesting that all officers return to duty immediately, with the understanding that you will receive nothing beyond your regular paycheck—because, as they stated, ‘it is your job,’” Connors wrote.
Connors then offered solidarity and support: “But let me be very clear: I stand behind your actions. You have shown strength, unity, and purpose. You are making a difference.”
The government seized on that line in its filings, calling it a clear endorsement of the strike and evidence that the PBA “authorized, approved, and/or sanctioned” the action.
According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, still in effect despite expiring in 2023, union members are explicitly barred from striking:
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Article VI reads: “As a Class III bargaining unit, members of this unit are prohibited from engaging in a strike as provided by Act 4440.”
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Article V outlines grievance procedures as the exclusive method for resolving disputes, stating that no other job actions should be taken to alter conditions, compensation, or rights.
In short, any disagreement over pay must be addressed through a multi-step grievance and arbitration process—not the streets.
The court is now weighing the government’s request for emergency relief as the territory approaches a packed summer schedule, including the St. John Festival. Government attorneys say the timing of the work stoppage appears deliberate, designed to apply pressure ahead of those events.
According to the complaint, police officers plan to resume the action through July 4—a claim not yet confirmed by the PBA but presented in court filings as a looming threat.
St. Croix Source
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