In the next few weeks, I will spend some time trying to shed some light on what I consider to be some fundamental flaws within the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force that I observed during my over 15 years of service. They are too many to be addressed in one article. Therefore, I will attempt to reveal them over time.
In recent weeks, I have seen on Facebook a number of videos of what can be termed as police brutality against civilians. I’ve even seen a video of police officers in a physical altercation with each other at the sentry post of the Central Police Station.
I’ve heard the outcry of people via the various radio programmes and I’ve read the outcry in Facebook posts and comments. While I agree with most of the comments and agree that something needs to be done, the question that needs to be first answered is, “Where do we start?”
Some years ago, former Commissioner of Police Randolph Toussaint made a statement that rattled the conscience of our society.
When asked about the actions of some police officers back then, he simply reminded the public that police come from society. That statement is even more valid today.
While I agree somewhat with the statement, I can equally say that society produces both the good and the bad. Therefore, there must be another contributing factor.
No one goes to the market and knowingly selects bad tomatoes to take home. And even if they accidentally picked a bad one, upon realising that this tomato is no good, they throw it out. I use that scenario as a means of simplifying the following point.
Some of the problems that the RSVGPF faces are because the recruitment process, the selection process and the vetting process are fundamentally flawed and, in a lot of cases, are being used and manipulated by politicians and senior officials.
The Human Resource Department should be responsible for the selection of candidates to go through what should be a lengthy process from the application stage to the training school.
However, I know of people who moved from the application stage to training school within a matter of weeks. The HR Department is constantly being usurped by the politicians and senior officers who want a child, a child of a friend, a relative or a constituent to enlist in the force.
Therefore, just like every other government department, the police force has now been reduced to “giving somebody a wuk”.
Phase two of this process should be the vetting of applicants and this is where the Special Branch of the Police Force should use their resources to help to identify undesirables among the applicants.
However, unfortunately, just like any other institution, this department has become so politically corrupt that it seems as though they are an arm of the Unity Labour Party.
Can you imagine applying for a job and the most interesting thing to the vetting team is which political party you support, so much so that they spend time going through your social media pages looking for clues about your politics rather than your character.
The Special Branch is more preoccupied with their political mandate than with vetting applicants thoroughly. Therefore, even from the start, they have already let the mongoose into the hen house. Can you imagine a police force that has recruited people with multiple convictions? Don’t worry, you don’t have to stretch your imagination too far!
For any structure to stand strong, its foundation must be firm, solid, rooted and grounded. We cannot have a good and decent police force if it is faulty in the recruitment and selection process. There must be another way, there must be a better way and it must start with politicians taking their hands and mouths out of the police force and allowing the human resources professionals to do their job by selecting the best and fittest candidates to serve our nation.
To continue on this part will be more of the same and things, unfortunately, may get worse.
Ex-Officer!!
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Part of the problem in SVG is that it’s accepted that, to get anywhere in business, you have to support the currant Government. That it extends to expecting support from the RSVGPF is rediculous and should cease immediately.