Police Training School Commandant Lieutenant Commander William Theobalds has reminded newly graduated police recruits that graduation should not create a false sense of arrival, a police press release says.
On Thursday, 109 recruits joined the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), following the 43rd Passing Out Parade Course 43 in Arnos Vale.
Course 43 began on May 18 with 115 recruits. Six recruits did not finish the programme, leaving 109 — 27 of whom were women– to take the oath of service.
Over six months, trainees studied police law and procedures, criminal investigation, human rights, ethics, communication, community policing, self-defence, physical training and drill.
The ceremony was held under the theme, “Forged Through Discipline, United in Service”.
Addressing the graduates, Theobalds said that the parade is more than a ceremonial occasion and called it a deciding moment for every recruit.
“It represents the culmination of months of sacrifice, discipline, determination, personal development and transformation but more importantly, it marks the beginning of a lifelong commitment to public service.
“Our theme, ‘Forged Through Discipline, United in Service’ was deliberately selected because it captures the very essence of police training and expectation of modern policing. The word forge speaks to the process of transformation.”
Theobalds also told the recruits that the training was demanding because law enforcement carries serious responsibilities and warned them against viewing graduation as “false sense of arrival”.
He noted that while joining the force is an opportunity, officers must earn graduation through commitment, performance and adherence to standards.
Their “real examination,” he said, will begin when they are deployed into communities and operational environments where their training, judgement and character will be tested.
He compared training to forging metal under heat and pressure, and said policing relies on teamwork, mutual respect and shared responsibility.
“In the same way that raw material is subjected to intense heat, pressure, and shaped to produce something stronger and more durable, you too have been subjected to the demanding process designed to develop your character, strengthen your resilience, and prepare you for realities of policing. This is the essence of being forged through discipline.”
The featured speaker, Ronnie Richardson told the recruits that discipline means doing what is right when nobody is watching, following lawful instructions and respecting procedures.
“The uniform you wear gives you authority, but discipline determines how responsibly you exercise that authority,” Richardson said.
He maintained that accountability applies to every officer regardless of rank, and urged the recruits to view policing as a service about people that extends beyond making arrests and enforcing the law.
Richardson also told the graduates they will face moments when supervisors correct and push them beyond their limits to prepare them for the job. He urged the recruits to support and correct one another because the organisation’s strength depends on each member’s conduct.