Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Junior Simmons has signalled a tougher stance on internal discipline in the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF).
He said that the constabulary cannot credibly confront criminals while turning a blind eye to misconduct in its own ranks.
Speaking at a recent press conference in Kingstown on the force’s response to gun violence, Simmons devoted a significant portion of his remarks to good order, integrity and professional standards within the constabulary, framing discipline as a central pillar of public trust and effective policing.
“The public expects the police to maintain law and order, but the public also must have confidence that the officers enforcing the law are themselves disciplined, professional, and accountable,” he said.
“As a force, we cannot effectively fight criminality while tolerating misconduct within our own ranks,” he added.
Linking public confidence to internal discipline
Simmons said that for the public to cooperate with the police — especially on sensitive issues like gun crime — citizens must be reassured that officers are living up to the same standards they are tasked with enforcing.
He acknowledged that recent years have seen incidents that have shaken public confidence in the RSVGPF and said the leadership is conscious of the impact on community relations.
Against this background, Simmons announced a “renewed emphasis” on professional standards, naming several areas where he expects stricter adherence.
Among these, he mentioned good order and discipline, integrity and accountability,
compliance with standing orders and regulations and observance of established procedures in day‑to‑day policing.
He presented discipline not as an internal housekeeping matter, but as a condition for effective crime‑fighting.
“We must lead by example as police officers. A stronger police force is better positioned to protect the public that we serve,” he said.
‘There will be consequences’ for rogue officers
Simmons drew a clear line between officers who uphold professional standards and those who abuse their positions.
He offered an explicit guarantee that professional conduct will be backed by the top brass, saying officers who do their jobs properly will enjoy the full support of the hierarchy.
At the same time, he issued a stark warning to those who misuse their authority or compromise investigations:
“Police officers who conduct themselves professionally will have the full support of the hierarchy. However, those who abuse their authority, compromise investigations, misuse information, engage in corrupt practices, or otherwise bring the force into disrepute, must understand that there will be consequences,” Simmons said.
Discipline as part of the wider crime strategy
Simmons’ comments on discipline were delivered in the same breath as his outline of a tougher, intelligence‑led response to gun crime, underscoring his view that internal reform and external operations must go together.
He had already stressed that the force’s response to gun violence must be “organised, intelligence‑driven and sustained” and that officers would be deployed based on crime patterns and information, rather than routine patrolling.
However, the acting deputy police chief cautioned that “rigorous and vigorous policing” must not translate into indiscriminate or abusive conduct, insisting that the rule of law and constitutional rights must still guide police actions.
“Our officers will operate within the law, respect the rights of citizens, and maintain the highest standards of professionalism. We will be firm with the criminals, but fair to law‑abiding citizens”.
Rebuilding the relationship with the public
Simmons linked the push for discipline directly to the relationship between the police and the public, arguing that without trust, the organisation’s wider crime‑fighting strategy will falter.
He reminded citizens that the police depend on their cooperation, especially on gun‑related cases where community information can be the key to preventing or solving violent crimes.
Simmons also acknowledged that past incidents involving the police have changed how some people view the force.
“We know that there have been several incidents in the past that have caused you to look at us a different way, but we understand your concerns, and we ask you not to lose confidence in us because everybody needs the police. The police are the public, and the public are the police,” Simmons told the press conference.
Internal standards and external expectations
Simmons cast discipline as both an internal obligation and a response to external expectations.
Internally, he said, officers must adhere to the constabulary’s own standing orders, regulations and procedures.
Externally, they must act in ways that reinforce, rather than erode, the public’s perception of the police as a law‑abiding and impartial institution.
A disciplined force for a harder fight
Simmons’ intervention comes as the RSVGPF leadership has announced more aggressive, intelligence‑led operations to counter a spike in gun violence, particularly in Kingstown and its environs.
Speaking at the same press conference, acting Commissioner Trevor “Buju” Bailey spoke about zoning the capital, increasing armed patrols and deploying new forensic tools.
Simmons carved out a complementary role: driving internal discipline, professionalism and community engagement, so that tougher tactics do not come at the cost of legitimacy.
“It is when [the] police force is stronger [that it] is better positioned to protect the public that we serve,” he said, underlining that professional conduct is not a side issue, but central to public safety.