Sergeant of Police Brenton Smith, who recently graduated in the United Kingdom with a Master of Science in police leadership and management, is hoping he will get the opportunity to utilise his training in helping to transform the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force in a positive way.
Smith graduated from Leicester University on Jan. 21, after completing his studies, which concentrated on sociological and biological theoretical perspectives of policing; policing and crime prevention; leadership and management; research methods; community policing and police leadership in the 21st century.
His thesis was on the topic: “The Effectiveness of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force in Reducing Murders”.
“It is a humbling feeling. It is also a proud feeling because I am hoping that persons within the organisation who have studied will make the organisation a better place and serve the organisation better,” said Smith, who did the programme over a two-year period.
He also used the opportunity to encourage other police officers to pursue higher education through Leicester University or other universities, which offer programmes in a wide array of law enforcement subjects.
“One should also remember it does not lead to benefitting one’s self alone, but the country,” Smith said.
Smith is thanking God for helping him to complete his programme.
“This would not have been possible without the help of Almighty God,” said Sergeant Smith, who also ushered thanks to Glenda Abraham along with family and friends for encouraging him to pursue the master’s programme.
He said he is dedicating his successful completion of the Master of Science in police leadership and management to his first child, Patreka Smith.
“When I was in Form Five, I had my first child. I was allowed to do my subjects, but not allowed to graduate,” he said, adding, “That was painful.”
“It was always my dream to graduate and be in a gown, but that didn’t happen. However, I told myself I must graduate and be in a gown,” said Smith, who also expressed thanks to his mother, Merle Smith, for her contribution to his development.
The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force congratulates Sergeant Smith and wishes him well in his future endeavours.
(Police PR Dept.)
Well done Sergeant Smith,
I commend you for your tenacity and diligence.
As I read the story I felt your every emotion.
Give God thanks and praise.
Truly the old adage rings clear, “As long as there is life there is hope!”
Congratulations from BARBADOS Mr Future Commissioner!
Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!
What a curious thesis title.
Shouldn’t it have been called “The Ineffectiveness of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force in Reducing Murders?” After all, the police have neither the mandate nor resources to reduce serious crime except by warning people not to place themselves in vulnerable situations, what the old people used to summarize with the words “keep from bad company.”
Apart from telling women to run from abusive relations (keeping in mind that the our police have historically downplayed domestic violence when it has been reported to them, often telling women who are in a long term relationship to just suck it up, sometimes even telling them “he beat you because he loves you”) and warning them not to go out alone at night, what exactly is their role in reducing murders?
I can’t think of a single murder I am familiar with — and I am familiar with many involving young men killing each other — where any police activity or intervention would have made any difference.
This cop should have chosen a much more important topic, one which the police actually have some control over: Why so many murders go unsolved in SVG and how this can be reversed based on what can be learned from other police forces in other countries.
Writing as a former university professor in the social sciences, this sounds like a Mickey Mouse degree from a second rate British university.