More senior police officers needed at public events – residents
Ms S. Callwood, a resident of Carrot Bay, said she attended several of the Festival activities which were held across the territory. "I made the observation that there is a need for more senior officers to guide these junior ranks who are placed at these events," the concerned resident told Virgin Islands News Online.
This opinion was supported by at least three others who were with Ms Callwood at the time of her speaking with this news site.
The view was also expressed that the more junior officers were not forceful enough when left alone. "I look at how they operated when there were fights especially at the festival ground in Road Town," she continued, "If you could remember one of the nights there was something happening at one end of the ground and there were some officers on the other side. The MC had to literally like beg them to go and deal with the issue, he was shouting several times on the open mic telling them to go and deal with the situation before they crawl like snails to go and deal with the situation," Ms Callwood alleged.
The woman said she was present when a fight broke out following Saturday's Official Festival Last Lap show in Carrot Bay. "This is a typical example; one of the guys who was involved in a fight was standing there carrying on with he face streaming with blood and I was so upset the officers didn't even take the man into custody or to go get him medical attention and for him to assist in the investigation to have those involved be brought to justice," said Ms Callwood.
She issued a call for the Commissioner of Police to have “upgrading training” for junior officers to deal with disorderly behaviours at public events.
Contacted on the issue, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) responded with a press release claiming that members of the public had responded positively to the police presence at the festival activities.
It said such sentiments were expressed to police officers by persons attending events in the three festival villages, rise and shine tramps, August Tuesday Horse Races and other events to mark this year’s celebration.
Six arrests made
According to the press release, while the RVIPF has on record ten altercations in or around the Festival events during the two weeks, there were likely a number of additional skirmishes that went unreported. “A total of six persons were arrested in relation to these matters and files are before the DPP’s office in relation to four of those six. Another three were brought into police stations, cautioned and warned about their behaviour and discharged.”
Superintendent of Operations St. Clair Amory, according to the press release, explained that the task to keep the balance of high visibility at Festival events which usually run well into the morning hours and at the same time provide coverage around businesses in town day and night is always a difficult one but that balance was achieved this year.
“Some officers gave up regular investigative duties while others extended their normal working hours to provide the needed policing cover for this year’s events with no extra compensation. Senior officers were also at these events and provided the necessary station coverage where needed. There was a general willingness to commit to the task by the officers and for that I would like to commend the officers and thank them for their dedication to keeping the festival safe,” he said.
The Superintendent also expressed his appreciation to the security firms contracted to cover the various events which helped to ensure safer environments and the VI Festival Committee for involving the RVIPF in its plans for this year’s events, according to the press release.
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