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Be friendly yet firm & fair – Premier Fahie to new RVIPF constables

The 4th Police Recruit Awards Ceremony was held at the Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay on Thursday, June 18, 2020. Photo: RVIPF
Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has called on the 14 new officers of Cohort 4 of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) to be friendly, yet firm and fair. Photo: Facebook
Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has called on the 14 new officers of Cohort 4 of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) to be friendly, yet firm and fair. Photo: Facebook
Police Commissioner Michael B. Matthews delivering remarks at the 4th Police Recruit Awards Ceremony at Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay on Thursday, June 18, 2020. Photo: Facebook
Police Commissioner Michael B. Matthews delivering remarks at the 4th Police Recruit Awards Ceremony at Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay on Thursday, June 18, 2020. Photo: Facebook
PARAQUITA BAY, Tortola, VI- Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has called on the 14 new officers of Cohort 4 of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) to be friendly, yet firm and fair.

The 4th Police Recruit Awards Ceremony was held at Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, in Paraquita Bay on Thursday, June 18, 2020.

“Just be you. Be the best you. As a new recruit, be careful who is in the boardroom of your mind. Choose the right person to make sure that you emulate. Treat every citizen as if it is your brother, your sister, your aunt, your uncle, treat them with respect because it is only what you dish out, you will get back,” Premier Fahie said.

“So be protective but also remember to protect. Be friendly but yet be firm, and be fair. Be consistent in how you administer justice and be consistent when you don’t have to administer justice, but you can. Be assertive but not rude; we see all over America what is happening with the officers, never for one moment think that it can’t be here but at the same time celebrate that it is not here because of how the force is.”

The Premier also urged them to "remember that relationships count” but make sure they have self-respect both on and off the job.

Police Commissioner Michael B. Matthews delivered remarks as well.

He said following six months of intensive training these officers represent the best of the recruitment drive that took place towards the end of 2019.

“We believe we have chosen well,” he added, stating that the newest batch now adds to nearly 70 new officers of the RVIPF since the start of 2017.

No parade

Meanwhile, His Excellency Governor Augustus J. U Jaspert said this year the usually grand ceremony with a parade was not held due to the Novel Coronavirus.

Nonetheless, he said to the officers, “You join one of the most important professions in the world at a time of extreme challenge. So I want to thank you for choosing a career where you dedicate your life to your profession to serving the public, to serving with integrity, to serving whatever happens in the world.”

He said this is something that they should be proud of, and it is his hope that they serve long.

The new constables officially began serving the Virgin Islands from June 19, 2020.

26 Responses to “Be friendly yet firm & fair – Premier Fahie to new RVIPF constables”

  • Igwe (20/06/2020, 12:29) Like (9) Dislike (11) Reply
    Tell them stop tasing people and using unnecessary force
  • Son (20/06/2020, 12:36) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    Great job and best wishes to all the new recruits be safe and enforce the law and avoid corruption
    • period (20/06/2020, 13:47) Like (11) Dislike (5) Reply
      Some them police need get fried and deported some does do wrong here
  • vi (20/06/2020, 13:38) Like (8) Dislike (5) Reply
    I agree with you to ask to be friendly but you are not friendly with the island people we must practice what we preach
  • smh (20/06/2020, 13:43) Like (5) Dislike (5) Reply
    are they lokalz?
    • QTNA (20/06/2020, 14:28) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      I saw a different article and I can not identify any of those names. If there are any it will probably be 2 or 3.
    • @ ??? (20/06/2020, 15:16) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply

      No set of i**** p***** for police. Only In the bvi

  • Black lives (20/06/2020, 13:51) Like (16) Dislike (6) Reply
    We need a black police commissioner
    • man about town (20/06/2020, 15:16) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
      Not at ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • /////?? (20/06/2020, 15:20) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
      u aint c de black one in there terrorizing de locals? he needs to be gone.....he already did his time... a real snake in de grass....pretentious bad....only for his ppl....de parrot ones.....his time soon come...time longer than twine
  • i from here (20/06/2020, 14:03) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    still not enough locals in the police force what a shame
  • BVI National (20/06/2020, 14:16) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    How many of these new police officers are BVI nationals? Just asking
  • Forgot (20/06/2020, 14:23) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    What about corruption? That is the biggest problem within the RVIPF. BIG!
  • y (20/06/2020, 16:34) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    @@ lgwe your mouth need teasing u talk to much u soon tell cow halo
  • A (20/06/2020, 16:54) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    @@ local what country do you call down island u need to go back to school u missing something u never to old to learn ok
  • T (20/06/2020, 17:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    @@ local of course all from d island as u will say because u all don't know what time it is so for the time u get it right
  • Uncle (20/06/2020, 22:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Maybe now some damn Road and Traffic LAWS will be enforced in the damn communities!!!
  • Hmm (21/06/2020, 08:29) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Yes respect everybody is talking that the reason the traffic turnaround went so well is because super cop was not there picking on people for no reason and showing off.
  • NezRez (21/06/2020, 09:56) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    Good that we have new officers to help crack down on crime. Honorable Fahie, I hope you also informed these new officers that the BVI is family, and under no circumstances or beliefs wherever they came from, that we will not tolerate any racism or abuse from them. You see how the US is disrespecting, murdering, framing innocent people, lying, lynching, etc on Black people, so if they work here, they have to let go of their blue wall of silence attitudes that so many have. We can live on our small islands peacefully, without fear from racist police as we have been doing from here to eternity. Respect begets respect. Thank you.
  • guy hill (21/06/2020, 14:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Law enforcement needs to develop a culture where the corrupt officer fears the incorruptible officer and not the other way around. Seize the time. Be Brave.
  • The Reaper (23/06/2020, 19:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let them try me ,Try me ..
  • time to act (26/06/2020, 09:04) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is my honest opinion that they need to go back overseas to train. I applaud them for trying here but I honestly don't think they are doing a good job. The recruits need to feel the real pressure of what training is like. They get to play around here too much. So when they pass out they still have the same mentality as day one. They are to laid back and not showing the effects of intense training. bite the dust and send them back to Barbados. Have that lil short nuffie bajan who work hospital doing nothing but showing off to no avail. I don't see any real Police when they are finished with their training.


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