The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force is dedicating 2025 as the year of rebuilding public confidence and will publish a citizens’ charter outlining people’s rights when interacting with the police.
“It is of extreme importance to us that law enforcement and the general public work in unison,” acting Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for crime fighting Trevor “Buju” Bailey told a recent press conference.
Speaking at the same press conference, ACP Christopher Benjamin, who is responsible for police operations, said that crime fighting is not singular.
Bailey said:
“It is not only the responsibility of the police. Whereas we are charged with the responsibility of national security and for the prevention and detection of crimes, we depend primarily on the support of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and we acknowledge as an organisation that there are cracks in the relationship between the police and the general public.”
He said that in 2025, the constabulary will work assiduously to mend and rebuild that relationship.
Bailey said he was working along with the Legal Research and Policies Unit and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and will publish a citizen’s charter this year.
“Now the charter will outline basic responsibilities for the general public and the police — things that cause friction between the police and the general public,” he said.
Bailey said the police force often receives complaints that officers executing search warrants do not identify themselves and do not read or show the warrant to the person on whom it is being executed.
“Now, in the charter, that will be clearly spelled out that that is a must; the police must do that, that is a responsibility that we cannot shy away from,” Bailey said.
He said the charter will also explain that the police have no right to just meet someone on the street and say, ‘Come accompany me to the station.’
“… the officer must identify himself if he’s in plainclothes; he must show some sort of identification. He must point out to you the offence for which an investigation is being carried out.
“And if he has, or she has evidence at that stage that they must arrest you on suspicion, to bring you on the inside, to bring you to the police station.
“We just can’t meet you on the street arbitrarily and lock you up like that and say, we are going to keep you for 24 or 48 hours.”
Bailey said these things would be outlined in the charter.
“So, all of us will know what are our responsibilities. People, citizens must know that the police have a right that they can question anyone [from] whom they think that useful information can be obtained in respect of a crime.”
Bailey said the charter could help to improve the relationship between the police and citizens.
He said the public could look forward to more community outreach and town hall meetings, not necessarily for the police to bring a particular message but to hear from the community.
Bailey said a contentious issue is that often, when people make complaints at the Police Public Relations and Complaint Department, they do not get any feedback, or they would only be told that the matter is still not resolved.
He, however, said that in 2024, the Head of the Police Public Relations and Complaints Department, Superintendent Junior Simmons held mediation sessions between police officers and aggrieved people.
“… at the end of the meeting, the matter was dealt with, the situation was diffused, and the outcome was amicable on each part,” Bailey said, adding that more of these meetings will be held.
“… if there are infractions, if the police, in the execution of their duty, went overboard, then we call it for what it is and ensure that citizens who make complaints, that the matters are resolved and not left hanging for years or months without there being any resolve. That, too, is important in building and mending that relationship with the general public.”
He said that the police force will launch in 2025 an app through which citizens can provide tips without interacting with an officer on the phone.
“We all know how it works, you go and you send the information so there’s no need for you to be given your name and address and age and so forth,” Bailey said.
He said that people often say that they are asked their names when they are providing information to the police.
“… the truth is, officers are always told not to ask for the name … What is important to us, the information, and not the source of the information,” Bailey said.