1. Following the prize-giving ceremony, winners of the Police Week Essay Competition (front l-r) Sam Childs, Angelique Lettsome and Nysaha Yadram stand with Harney representative Jacqueline Daley-Aspinal (far right) and senior officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (back l-r) Acting Superintendent Kenrick Headley, Sergeant Tilda Henry, Acting Commissioner of Police David Morris and Acting Deputy Commissioner Roy Stoutt. Photo: Provided

2. Winners of Police Week Essay Competition (front l-r) Sam Childs, Angelique Lettsome and Nysaha Yadram stands with parents, senior officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and Harneys representative Jacqueline Daley-Aspinal. Photo: Provided

The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) hosted a short prize-giving ceremony at the Police Headquarters Conference Room with the three winners and a representative of the winning school along with parents, the Acting Commissioner and other senior officers and the representative from Harneys Mrs. Jacqueline Daley-Aspinal.

Prizes donated by Harneys were given to first place winner, Angelique Lettsome of the St. George’s School, who received an iPad; second place winner, Sam Childs of Cedar International, who received an iPad mini and the third winner, Nyasha Yadram of the Willard Wheatley Primary School, who received a Kindle. Cedar School International received a cheque for $500 for the largest number of entries.

Acting Commissioner Mr. David Morris, in his remarks, noted that this year drew a record 45 essay entries. He thanked Harneys for their support inthe last two years and for providing the needed incentive this year for more participation from schools. He noted that this partnership was one that benefited both the RVIPF and the young people of the Territory.

Managing Partner of the Harneys Virgin Islands Office Sheila George, in a prepared statement, congratulated the three winners of the essay competition and commended the Force on their youth outreach initiative.

She said she was pleased and encouraged by the number and quality of the essays that were submitted this year and was optimistic that with enough encouragement more students would consider participating in the competition in the future. She further emphasised Harneys’ commitment to helping to build the resources of the Virgin Islands in a sustainable way and explained the essay writing competition complemented the firm’s pledge to support educational programmes that focus on improving the academic achievement of the youth in the Virgin Islands.

The Police Week Essay competition was open this year to all primary schools in the Territory and asked students to detail the roles that society can play in working in partnership with the police to enhance the Territory’s safety and security. The competition, which originated with Mr. Alwin James, the post-holder for Deputy Commissioner, had been opened to the Territory’s high schools in its first year.

 James says he saw the need for the force to engage in positive exchanges with the Territory's youth and wanted to allow their opinions to be shared on how society could become more involved in bridging that gap for a greater partnership. “Too many of our young and talented teens are getting involved in crime. It is important to create more programmes directed at steering young people away from anti-social behaviour. In partnership with local business and charitable organization, we can provide the funding to make that happen,” he said.

James noted his delight both at the level of participation and quality of submissions in this year’s competition. The participation last year was limited with only three essays submitted, two from the Seventh Day Adventist School and one from the Claudia Creque Educational Centre in Anegada. With Harney's agreement to support the initiative this year, the law firm added a prize of $500 for the school with the most submissions.

As Police Week continues, officers give their support to the young men of the Territory as they host the finals in the Police Week Youth Basketball Competition between under 15 men on Virgin Gorda and Tortola on Thursday, February28, 2013. Elimination games were held during the month of February.